The Plot to Kill Jesus

1Aftera two days it was the •Passoverb and the Festivalc of •Unleavened Bread.d The •chief priests and the •scribese were looking for a treacherousf way to arrest and kill Him.g 2“Not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be rioting among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

3Whileh He was in Bethanyi at the house of Simon who had a serious skin disease,j as He was reclining at the table,k a woman came with an alabaster jar of pure and expensive fragrant oil of nard. She broke the jar and poured it on His head.l 4But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this fragrant oil been wasted? 5For this oil might have been sold for more than 300 •denariim and given to the poor.”n And they began to scold her.

6Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thingo for Me. 7You always have the poorp with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have Me.q 8She has done what she could; she has anointed My bodyr in advance for burial.s 9•I assure you:t Wherever the gospelu is proclaimed in the whole world,v what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

10Thenw Judas Iscariot,x one of the Twelve,y went to the chief priestsz to hand Him overaa to them. 11And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him silver.ab, ac So he started looking for a good opportunity to betrayad Him.

Preparation for Passover

12Onae the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb,af His disciplesag asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare the Passover so You may eat it? ”

13So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. 14Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacherah says, “Where is the guest room for Me to eat the Passover with My disciples? ” ’ 15He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16So the disciplesai went out, entered the city, and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Betrayal at the Passover

17Whenaj evening came, He arrived with the Twelve.ak 18While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me — one who is eating with Me! ”

19They began to be distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I? ”

20He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve — the one who is dipping bread with Me in the bowl. 21For the •Son of Manal will go just as it is writtenam about Him,an but woeao to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

The First Lord’s Supper

22Asap they were eating, He took bread,aq blessed and brokear it, gave it to them,as and said, “Take it;at this is My body.”au

23Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks,av He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. 24He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant;aw,ax it is sheday for many.az 25I assure you:ba I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vinebb until that day when I drink it in a newbc waybd in the kingdom of God.”be 26After singing psalms,bf they went out to the •Mount of Olives.bg

Peter’s Denial Predicted

27Thenbh Jesus said to them, “All of you will run away,bi,bj because it is written:bk

I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheepbl will be scattered.bm,bn

28But after I have been resurrected,bo I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”bp

29Peterbq told Him, “Even if everyone runs away, I will certainly not! ”

30“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times! ”br

31But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with You, I will never deny You! ” And they all said the same thing.

The Prayer in the Garden

32Thenbs they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples,bt “Sit here while I pray.”bu 33He took Peter,bv James,bw and Johnbx with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. 34Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrowby — to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”bz 35Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hourca might pass from Him. 36And He said, “•Abba,cb Father!cc All things are possiblecd for You. Take this cupce away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

37Then He came and found them sleeping. “Simon,cf are you sleeping? ” He asked Peter.cg “Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? 38Stay awake and praych so that you won’t enter into temptation.ci The spiritcj is willing, but the fleshck is weak.”

39Once again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.cl They did not know what to say to Him.cm 41Then He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. Look, the Son of Mancn is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.co 42Get up;cp let’s go! See — My betrayer is near.”

The Judas Kiss

43Whilecq He was still speaking, Judas,cr one of the Twelve,cs suddenly arrived. With him was a mob, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes,ct and the elders.cu 44His betrayer had given them a signal. “The One I kiss,” he said, “He’s the One; arrest Him and take Him away under guard.” 45So when he came, he went right up to Him and said, “•Rabbi! ”cv — and kissed Him. 46Then they took hold of Him and arrested Him. 47And one of those who stood by drew his sword, struck the high priest’s •slave, and cut off his ear.

48But Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as though I were a criminal,cw to capture Me? 49Every day I was among you, teaching in the •temple complex,cx and you didn’t arrest Me. But the Scripturescy must be fulfilled.”cz 50Then they all deserted Him and ran away.da

51Now a certain young man,db having a linen cloth wrapped around his naked body, was following Him. They caught hold of him, 52but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked.de

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

53Theydf led Jesus away to the high priest,dg and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribesdh convened.di 54Peterdj followed Him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the temple police,dk, dl warming himself by the fire.dm

55The chief priests and the whole •Sanhedrindn were looking for testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,do but they could find none. 56For many were giving false testimonydp against Him, but the testimonies did not agree. 57Some stood up and were giving false testimony against Him, stating, 58“We heard Him say, ‘I will demolish this sanctuary made by human hands,dq and in three days I will build another not made by hands.’ ” 59Yet their testimony did not agreedr even on this.

60Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, “Don’t You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You? ” 61But He kept silent and did not answer anything.ds Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the •Messiah,dt the Sondu of the Blesseddv One? ”

62“I am,”dw said Jesus, “and all of youdx will see the Son of Mandy seated at the right handdz of the Power and coming with the cloudsea of heaven.”eb,ec

63Then the high priested tore his robesee and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?ef 64You have heard the blasphemy!eg What is your decision? ”eh

And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.ei 65Then some began to spit on Him, to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, saying, “Prophesy! ”ej The temple policeek also took Him and slapped Him.

Peter Denies His Lord

66Whileel Peterem was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s servants came. 67When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with that •Nazarene,en Jesus.”

68But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about! ” Then he went out to the entryway, and a rooster crowed.eo

69When the servant saw him again she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them! ”

70But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean! ”ep, eq

71Then he started to curseer and to swear with an oath,es “I don’t know this man you’re talking about! ”

72Immediately a rooster crowed a second time,et and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” When he thought about it, he began to weep.eu