1NOW THE FESTIVAL of Passover and Unleavened Bread was only two days off; and the chief priests and the doctors of the law were trying to devise some cunning plan to seize him and put him to death. 2'It must not be during the festival,' they said, 'or we should have rioting among the people.'
3Jesus was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. As he sat at table, a woman came in carrying a small bottle of very costly perfume, pure oil of nard. She broke it open and poured the oil over his head. 4Some of those present said to one another angrily, 'Why this waste? 5The perfume might have been sold for thirty pounds and the money given to the poor'; and they turned upon her with fury. 6But Jesus said, 'Let her alone. Why must you make trouble for her? 7It is a fine thing she has done for me. You have the poor among you always, and you can help them whenever you like; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what lay in her power; she is beforehand with anointing my body for burial. 9I tell you this: wherever in all the world the Gospel is proclaimed, what she has done will be told as her memorial.'
10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray him to them. 11When they heard what he had come for, they were greatly pleased, and promised him money; and he began to look for a good opportunity to betray him.
12NOW ON THE FIRST DAY of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lambs were being slaughtered, his disciples said to him, 'Where would you like us to go and prepare for your Passover supper?' 13So he sent out two of his disciples with these instructions: 'Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. 14Follow him, and when he enters a house give this message to the householder: "The Master says, 'Where is the room reserved for me to eat the Passover with my disciples?'" 15He will show you a large room upstairs, set out in readiness. Make the preparations for us there.' 16Then the disciples went off, and when they came into the city they found everything just as he had told them. So they prepared for Passover.
17In the evening he came to the house with the Twelve. 18As they sat at supper Jesus said, 'I tell you is this: one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.' 19At this they were dismayed; and one by one they said to him, 'Not I, surely?' 20'It is one of the Twelve', he said, 'who is dipping into the same bowl with me. 21The Son of Man is going the way appointed for him in the scriptures; but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had never been born.'
22During supper he took bread, and having said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them, with the words: 'Take this; this is my body.' 23Then he took a cup, and having offered thanks to God he gave it to them; and they all drank from it. 24And he said, 'This is my blood of the covenant, shed for many. 25I tell you this: never again shall I drink from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.'
26After singing the Passover Hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
32WHEN THEY REACHED a place called Gethsemane, he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' 33And he took Peter and James and John with him. Horror and dismay came over him, 34and he said to them, 'My heart is ready to break with grief; stop here, and stay awake.' 35Then he went forward a little, threw himself on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, this hour might pass him by. 36'Abba, Father,' he said, 'all things are possible to thee; take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what thou wilt.'
37He came back and found them asleep; and he said to Peter, 'Asleep, Simon? Were you not able to keep awake for one hour? 38Stay awake, all of you; and pray that you may be spared the test: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 39Once more he went away and prayed. 40On his return he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know how to answer him.
41The third time he came and said to them, 'Still sleeping? Still taking your ease? Enough! The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed to sinful men. 42Up, let us go forward! My betrayer is upon us.'
43Suddenly, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared, and with him was a crowd armed with swords and cudgels, sent by the chief priests, lawyers, and elders. 44Now the traitor had agreed with them upon a signal: 'The one I kiss is your man; seize him and get him safely away.' 45When he reached the spot, he stepped forward at once and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi', and kissed him. 46Then they seized him and held him fast.
47One of the party drew his sword, and struck at the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear. 48Then Jesus spoke: 'Do you take me for a bandit, that you have come out with swords and cudgels to arrest me? 49Day after day I was within your reach as I taught in the temple, and you did not lay hands on me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.' 50Then the disciples all deserted him and ran away.
51Among those following was a young man with nothing on but a linen cloth. They tried to seize him, 52but he slipped out of the linen cloth and ran away naked.
53THEN THEY LED JESUS away to the High Priest's house, where the chief priests, elders, and doctors of the law were all assembling. 54Peter followed him at a distance right into the High Priest's courtyard; and there he remained, sitting among the attendants, warming himself at the fire.
55The chief priests and the whole Council tried to find some evidence against Jesus to warrant a death-sentence, but failed to find any. 56Many gave false evidence against him, but their statements did not tally. 57Some stood up and gave this false evidence against him: 58'We heard him say, "I will throw down this temple, made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands." ' 59But even on this point their evidence did not agree.
60Then the High Priest stood up in his place and questioned Jesus: 'Have you no answer to the charges that these witnesses bring against you?' 61But he kept silence; he made no reply. Again the High Priest questioned him: 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?'
65Some began to spit on him, blindfolded him, and struck him with their fists, crying out, 'Prophesy!' And the High Priest's men set upon him with blows.
66Meanwhile Peter was still below in the courtyard. One of the High Priest's serving-maids came by and saw him there warming himself. 67She looked into his face and said, 'You were there too, with this man from Nazareth, this Jesus.' 68But he denied it: 'I know nothing,' he said; 'I do not understand what you mean.' 69Then he went outside into the porch; and the maid saw him there again and began to say to the bystanders, 'He is one of them'; 70and again he denied it.
Again, a little later, the bystanders said to Peter, 'Surely you are one of them. You must be; you are a Galilean.' 71At this he broke out into curses, and with an oath he said, 'I do not know this man you speak of.' 72Then the cock crew a second time; and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 'Before the cock crows twice you will disown me three times.' And he burst into tears.
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