1 When Jesus had ended this discourse, He said to His disciples, 2 "You know that in two days the Passover Feast will take place, and the Son of Man will be turned over to be crucified."
3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people met in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to arrest Jesus by stratagem and put Him to death. 5 But they kept saying, "It must not be at the feast, for a riot may break out among the people."
6 When Jesus came back to Bethany, to the home of Simon the leper, 7 a woman with an alabaster bottle of very costly perfume came up to Him while He was at table and poured it upon His head. 8 When the disciples saw it, they were very indignant, and said, "Why such waste? 9 Surely it could have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor."
10 But Jesus, because He understood them, said to them, "Why do you embarrass the woman? She has done a good deed to me, 11 for you always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12 For in putting this perfume on my body she has done it to prepare me for my burial. 13 I solemnly say to you, all over the world wherever this good news is proclaimed, the good deed that she has done will be told, in memory of her."
14 Then one of the Twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests, 15 and said, "What will you give me to turn Him over to you?" Then they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he kept looking for a good opportunity to turn Him over to them.
17 On the first day of the Passover Feast the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to get the Passover supper ready for you to eat?"
18 And He said, "Go into the city, to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near. I am going to keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."'" 19 So the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and got the Passover supper ready. 20 When evening came, He was sitting at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, He said, "I solemnly say to you, one of you is going to betray me."
22 They were cut to the bottom of their hearts, and began to ask one by one, "It cannot be I, can it, Lord?"
23 He answered, "The man who has just dipped his hand with me in the dish is the man who is going to betray me. 24 The Son of Man is going away as the Scriptures say of Him, but a curse will be on that man by whom He is betrayed. It would have been better for that man, if he had never been born!"
25 Then Judas, who afterward betrayed Him, answered by asking, "It cannot be I, can it, Rabbi?" Jesus answered him, "Yes, you are the man."
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf and blessed it; then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take this and eat it; this is my body." 27 He also took the cup of wine and gave thanks; then He gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink some of it, 28 for this is my blood which ratifies the covenant, the blood which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of their sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink the product of the vine till the day when I drink the new wine with you in my Father's kingdom." 30 After singing a hymn, they left the city, and went up the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all stumble over me tonight, for the Scripture says, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
32 But after I am raised from the dead, I will go back to Galilee to meet you."
33 Peter answered, "Though all the rest of them stumble over you, I will never do so."
34 Jesus said to him, "I solemnly say to you, this very night, before a cock crows, you will disown me three times."
35 Peter answered, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you."
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to the disciples, "Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray." 37 And He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons along with Him and He began to give way to His grief and distress of heart. 38 Then He said to them, "My heart is breaking, it almost kills me! You must stay here and keep watching with me." 39 Then He walked on a few steps and threw Himself upon His face, and in this attitude continued to pray, and say, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass by me; and yet, I pray, not what I want but what you want."
40 Then He came back to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Could you not then watch with me a single hour? 41 You must all keep watching and praying that you may not be exposed to temptation. Man's spirit is willing but human nature is weak."
42 A second time He went away and prayed, "My Father, if it cannot pass by without my drinking it, your will be done." 43 He came back again and found them still sleeping, for their eyes were so heavy they could hardly hold them open.
44 Then He left them again and prayed the third time, using the same words. 45 After that He came back to the disciples and said to them: "Still sleeping! Still resting! See! The time has come for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men! 46 Get up and let us be going. Look! Here comes my betrayer!"
47 Even while He was still speaking, here came Judas, one of the Twelve, and with him a crowd, with swords and clubs, from the high priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now His betrayer had given them a signal by saying, "The one I kiss is He. Seize Him!" 49 And he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Good evening, Rabbi," and affectionately kissed Him.
50 Jesus said to him, "My friend, do what you came for." Then they came up, laid hands on Jesus, and arrested Him. 51 One of the men with Jesus put out his hand and drew his sword, and with a thrust at the high priest's slave cut off his ear.
52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs, for all who wield the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you suppose that I am unable to appeal to my Father and have Him furnish me on the spot one hundred thousand angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, for they say this is the way it must be?"
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds: "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as though I were a robber? Day after day I used to sit teaching in the temple, and you never laid hands on me. 56 But this has all taken place so that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then the disciples all forsook Him and made their escape.
57 The men who had laid hands on Jesus took Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose home the scribes and elders had met. 58 And Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's home; he even went inside and was sitting among the attendants to see how it would end.
59 Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, to have Him put to death; 60 but they could not, although many false witnesses came forward to testify. At last two men came forward 61 and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the temple of God, and build it again in three days.'"
62 Then the high priest arose and said to Him, "Have you no answer to make? What do you say to the evidence that they bring against you?" 63 But Jesus kept silent. So the high priest said to Him, "I charge you, on your oath, in the name of the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 Jesus answered him, "Yes, I am. But I tell you, you will all soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of the sky."
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said, "He has uttered blasphemy, What more evidence do we need? You have just heard His blasphemy. 66 What do you think now?" Then they answered, "He deserves to die." 67 After that they spit in His face and hit Him with their fists, and others boxed His ears, 68 saying, "Play the prophet, you Christ, and tell us who struck you."
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a waiting girl came up to him, and said, "You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean."
70 But he denied it before them all, and said, "I do not understand what you mean."
71 Then he went out into the gateway, and another waiting girl saw him, and said to those there, "This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene."
72 Again he denied it, and even swore, "I do not know the man!"
73 A few minutes afterward the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are surely one of them, too, for your accent gives you away."
74 Then he commenced cursing and swearing, "I do not know the man!" And at once a cock crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered Jesus' words, "Before a cock crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.