When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his
disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming,
and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in
the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted
together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they
said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the
people.”
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a
woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive
ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why
this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given
to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you
trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For
you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me
for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed
in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory
of her.”
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to
the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him
over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from
that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to
Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the
Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to
him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the
Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did
as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as
they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will
betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him
one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped
his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes 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.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He
said to him, “You have said so.”
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it
broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this
is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he
gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this
fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my
Father's kingdom.”
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of
Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all 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.’ But after I am raised
up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though
they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus
said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the
rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him,
“Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the
disciples said the same.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he
said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”
And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to
be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very
sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And
going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless,
not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and
found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch
with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into
temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if
this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again
he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So,
leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time,
saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said
to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at
hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and
with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief
priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given
them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.”
And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And
he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And
behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and
drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut
off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its
place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you
think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send
me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the
Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus
said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with
swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple
teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place
that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all
the disciples left him and fled.
Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high
priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter
was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the
high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the
end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false
testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they
found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two
came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the
temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” And the high
priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it
that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And
the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell
us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You
have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of
Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of
heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has
uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now
heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He
deserves death.” Then they spit in his face and struck him. And
some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it
that struck you?”
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant
girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the
Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know
what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another
servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was
with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do
not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and
said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent
betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to
swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.
And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster
crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept
bitterly.
