The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and took counsel that they might take Jesus covertly and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
The Anointing at Bethany(B)
6 When Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment and poured it on His head as He sat at supper.
8 When His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “For what purpose is this waste? 9 This ointment might have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”
10 When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor always with you, but you do not always have Me. 12 In pouring this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.”
Judas’ Agreement to Betray Jesus(C)
14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said to them, “What will you give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that moment he searched for an opportunity to betray Him.
The Passover With the Disciples(D)
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will You have us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
18 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.’ ” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, He sat down with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
22 They were very sorrowful, and each of them began saying to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said, “He who has dipped his hand with Me in the dish 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 good for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who betrayed Him, answered, “Master, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”
The Lord’s Supper(E)
26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take and eat. This is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and after He gave thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on 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.
Peter’s Denial Foretold(F)
31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will fall away on account of Me this night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered, “Though all men will fall away on account of You, yet I will never fall away.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Though I should die with You, yet I will not deny You.” And all the disciples spoke in this manner.
The Prayer in Gethsemane(G)
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray close by.” 37 He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Wait here, and keep watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther, and falling on His face, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, could you not keep watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43 Again, He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So leaving them again, He went away and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. Look, he who betrays Me is at hand.”
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus(H)
47 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came. And with him was a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I shall kiss is the Man. Seize Him.” 49 He immediately came to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 And Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 Immediately, 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.
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place. For all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will at once give Me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
55 At that same moment Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a thief to take Me with swords and clubs? Daily I sat with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin(I)
57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed Him from afar to the high priest’s courtyard and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 The chief priests and the elders and the entire Sanhedrin searched for false witness against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 but they found none. Yes, though many false witnesses came forward, they found none.
At last two false witnesses 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 Then the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I say to 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 clothes, saying, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further need do we have for witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
They answered, “He is guilty unto death.”
67 Then they spat in His face and struck Him. And others slapped Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, You Christ! Who is it that struck You?”
Peter’s Denial of Jesus(J)
69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71 Then when he went out onto the porch, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man.”
73 After a while those who stood by came to Peter and said, “Surely you also are one of them, for your accent betrays you.”
74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and he swore, “I do not know the Man.”
Then immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:31
Cross references
- Matthew 26:1 : Mk 14:1–2; Lk 22:1–2; Jn 11:45–53
- Matthew 26:6 : Mk 14:3–9; Jn 12:1–8
- Matthew 26:14 : Mk 14:10–11; Lk 22:3–6
- Matthew 26:17 : Mk 14:12–21; Lk 22:7–14, 21–23; Jn 13:21–30
- Matthew 26:26 : Mk 14:22–26; Lk 22:15–20; 1Co 11:23–25
- Matthew 26:31 : Mk 14:27–31; Lk 22:31–34; Jn 13:36–38
- Matthew 26:36 : Mk 14:32–42; Lk 22:39–46
- Matthew 26:47 : Mk 14:43–50; Lk 22:47–53; Jn 18:3–12
- Matthew 26:57 : Mk 14:53–65; Lk 22:54–55, 63–71; Jn 18:13–14, 19–24
- Matthew 26:69 : Mk 14:66–72; Lk 22:56–62; Jn 18:15–18, 25–27
