[1] When Jesus had finished all these sayings, 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." [3] Then the chief priests and
the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was
called Ca'iaphas, [4] and took counsel together in order to arrest Jesus by
stealth and kill him. [5] But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there
be a tumult among the people." [6] Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the
house of Simon the leper, [7] a woman came up to him with an alabaster
flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat
at table. [8] But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying,
"Why this waste? [9] For this ointment might have been sold for a large
sum, and given to the poor." [10] But Jesus, aware of this, said to them,
"Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.
[11] For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have
me. [12] In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me
for burial. [13] Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in
the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her." [14]
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief
priests [15] and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And
they paid him thirty pieces of silver. [16] And from that moment he sought
an opportunity to betray him. [17] 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?" [18] He said, "Go into the city to a certain one,
and say to him, `The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the
passover at your house with my disciples.'" [19] And the disciples did as
Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover. [20] When it was
evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; [21] and as they were
eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." [22] And
they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it
I, Lord?" [23] He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with
me, will betray me. [24] 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." [25] Judas, who betrayed him,
said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." [26] Now as
they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it
to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." [27] And he took a
cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it,
all of you; [28] for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins. [29] I tell you I shall not drink
again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom." [30] And when they had sung a hymn, they went out
to the Mount of Olives. [31] 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.' [32] But after I
am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." [33] Peter declared to him,
"Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." [34]
Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock
crows, you will deny me three times." [35] Peter said to him, "Even if I
must die with you, I will not deny you." And so said all the disciples.
[36] Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsem'ane, and he said
to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go yonder and pray." [37] And taking
with him Peter and the two sons of Zeb'edee, he began to be sorrowful and
troubled. [38] Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to
death; remain here, and watch with me." [39] And going a little farther he
fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." [40] And he
came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So,
could you not watch with me one hour? [41] Watch and pray that you may not
enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak." [42] Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, "My
Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done." [43] And
again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. [44] So,
leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the
same words. [45] Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you
still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the
Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. [46] Rise, let us be
going; see, my betrayer is at hand." [47] 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. [48] Now the
betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I shall kiss is the man;
seize him." [49] And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Hail, Master!"
And he kissed him. [50] Jesus said to him, "Friend, why are you here?" Then
they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. [51] And behold, one
of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and
struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. [52] Then Jesus
said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the
sword will perish by the sword. [53] Do you think that I cannot appeal to
my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
[54] But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"
[55] 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. [56] But all this has taken
place, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all
the disciples forsook him and fled. [57] Then those who had seized Jesus
led him to Ca'iaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had
gathered. [58] But Peter followed 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. [59] Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false
testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, [60] but they
found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came
forward [61] and said, "This fellow said, `I am able to destroy the temple
of God, and to build it in three days.'" [62] And the high priest stood up
and said, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify
against you?" [63] But Jesus was 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." [64] Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter
you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming
on the clouds of heaven." [65] Then the high priest tore his robes, and
said, "He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have
now heard his blasphemy. [66] What is your judgment?" They answered, "He
deserves death." [67] Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some
slapped him, [68] saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that
struck you?" [69] Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a
maid came up to him, and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."
[70] But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you
mean." [71] And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and
she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." [72] And
again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." [73] After a
little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you are
also one of them, for your accent betrays you." [74] Then he began to
invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And
immediately the cock crowed. [75] And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus,
"Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and
wept bitterly.
