The Plot to Kill Jesus

1When Jesus had finished saying ²⁸⁷all these things, he said to his disciples,

2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

3Then the chief ²⁸⁸priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

4and they plotted together to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.

5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at the table.

8When ²⁸⁹his disciples saw it, they were indignant and said, “Why this waste?

9This ²⁹⁰ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money could have been given to the poor.”

10Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you causing trouble for this woman? She has done a good deed to me.

11You always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

12She has put this ointment on my body to prepare me for burial.

13Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial to her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him up to you?” So they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.

16And from then on he was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Passover with the Disciples

17On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said ²⁹¹to him, “Where do yoʋ want us to make preparations for yoʋ to eat the Passover?”

18He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am going to keep the Passover with yoʋ, along with my disciples.” ’ ”

19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the ²⁹²twelve.

21As they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

22Greatly distressed, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”

23Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand with me into the dish will betray me.

24The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of him, but woe 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.”

25Then Judas, who betrayed him, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “Yoʋ have said it yoʋrself.”

The Institution of the Lord's Supper

26As they were eating, Jesus took ²⁹³the bread, and when he had ²⁹⁴given thanks, he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat this bread; this is my body.”

27Then he took ²⁹⁵the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,

28for this is my blood of the ²⁹⁶new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

29But I tell you, from this point forward I will certainly not drink again from this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you anew in the kingdom of my Father.”

30And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial

31Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32But after I have been raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

33Peter answered him, “Even if everyone else falls away because of yoʋ, I will never fall away.”

34Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to yoʋ that on this night, before a rooster crows, yoʋ will deny me three times.”

35But Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with yoʋ, I will certainly not deny yoʋ.” And all the disciples said the same thing.

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and distressed.

38Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to the point of death; stay here and keep watch with me.”

39And going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as yoʋ will.”

40Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?

41Keep watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, he went away for a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this ²⁹⁷cup cannot pass ²⁹⁸from me unless I drink it, may yoʋr will be done.”

43Then he came ²⁹⁹and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy.

44So he left ³⁰⁰them and went away again and prayed for a third time, saying the same ³⁰¹thing.

45Then he came to ³⁰²his disciples and said to them, “Sleep on now and take your rest! Behold, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of sinners.

46Rise, let us go. Behold, my betrayer ³⁰³has drawn near.”

Jesus Arrested

47While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came. With him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, he is the one; arrest him.”

49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.

50Jesus said to him, “Friend, ³⁰⁴why have yoʋ come?” Then they came forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.

51And behold, one of the men with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, “Put yoʋr sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will ³⁰⁵die by the sword.

53Or do yoʋ think that I cannot call on my ³⁰⁶Father right now, and he will provide me with more than twelve legions of angels?

54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

55In that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? I sat daily ³⁰⁷with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me.

56But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

57Now those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58But Peter was following him at a distance, coming as far as the courtyard of the high priest. After going inside, he sat with the officers to see the outcome.

59Now the chief ³⁰⁸priests, the elders, and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus, so that they could put him to death,

60but they did not find ³⁰⁹any. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they did not find any.

61But at last two ³¹⁰false witnesses came forward and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

62So the high priest stood up and said to him, “Do yoʋ make no answer? What are these men testifying against yoʋ?”

63But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I adjure yoʋ by the living God to tell us if yoʋ are the Christ, the Son of God.”

64Jesus said to him, “Yoʋ have said it yoʋrself. Nevertheless I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65Then the high priest tore his garments and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard ³¹¹his blasphemy.

66What do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death.”

67Then they spit in his face and struck him. Others slapped him,

68saying, “Prophesy to us, yoʋ Christ! Who is it that struck yoʋ?”

Peter Denies Jesus

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, “Yoʋ also were with Jesus the Galilean.”

70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what yoʋ are talking about!”

71Then he went out to the gateway, and another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man ³¹²also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72But again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”

73After a little while, the people standing there came up and said to Peter, “Truly yoʋ also are one of them, for even yoʋr accent gives yoʋ away.”

74Then he began to invoke curses and to swear, saying, “I do not know the man.” And immediately a rooster crowed.

75Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said ³¹³to him: “Before a rooster crows, yoʋ will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.