Matthew 26

1And when Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples,

2You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.

3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

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

5But they were saying, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

6While Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7a woman came to him holding an alabaster jar of very costly perfume, and she poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table.

8But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?”

9For this could have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.

10But Jesus, knowing this, said to them, “Why are you causing trouble for the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.

11For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.

12For when she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.

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

15He said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.

16And from then on he was seeking an opportunity to hand him over.

17On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

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

19And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

20When evening came, he reclined at the table with the twelve disciples.

21And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22And being deeply grieved, they began to say to him one by one, “Surely not I, Lord?”

23He answered, “The one who dipped his hand with me in the bowl—this one will betray me.”

24The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written about him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.

25Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered and said, “Surely I am not the one, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

27And having taken a cup and given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,”

28For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

29But I tell you, from now on I will certainly not drink from this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.

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

31Then Jesus says 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.’”

32But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.

33But Peter answered him, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”

34Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

35Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will certainly not deny you.” Likewise all the disciples also said the same.

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

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

38Then he says to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.”

39And going a little farther, he fell on his face, praying and saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40And he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and he says to Peter, “So, were you not able to stay awake with me for one hour?”

41Stay awake and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42Again, a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”

43And coming again, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down.

44And leaving them again, he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again.

45Then he comes to the disciples and says to them, “Sleep on now and take your rest. Look, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners.”

46Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is near.

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

48The one betraying him had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is he; seize him.”

49And immediately he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.

50But Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they came up, laid hands on Jesus, and seized him.

51And behold, one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who take up the sword will perish by the sword.”

53Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once place at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

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

55At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as against a robber? Day after day I was sitting in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.”

56But all this has happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57Those who had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.

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

59The chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death,

60and they did not find any, though many false witnesses had come forward. But later two came forward

61They said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’”

62And the high priest stood up and said to him, “Do you give no answer? What are these men testifying against you?”

63But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath by the living God: tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64Jesus 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.”

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

66What do you think? They answered, “He is deserving of death.”

67Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and others slapped him.

68saying, “Prophesy to us, Messiah: who is it that struck you?”

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

70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”

71But when he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and said to those there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”

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

73After a little while, those standing there came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for even your accent gives you away.”

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

75And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.