The Plot to Kill Jesus

¹ Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

³ Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. ⁴ And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them. ⁵ They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶ Judas consented,^* and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.

Preparing the Passover

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. ⁸ Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹ “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.

¹⁰ He answered, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters, ¹¹ and say to the owner of that house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ¹² And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³ So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

¹⁴ When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. ¹⁶ For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸ For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

²⁰ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

²¹ Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table. ²² Indeed, the Son of Man will go^* as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”

²³ Then they began to question among themselves which of them was going to do this.

Who Is the Greatest?

²⁴ A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ²⁵ So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over^* them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors. ²⁶ But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads^* like the one who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸ You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials. ²⁹ And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones,^* judging^* the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith^* will not fail. And when you have turned back,^* strengthen your brothers.”

³³ “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

³⁴ But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵ Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶ “Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.”

³⁸ So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That is enough,” He answered.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. ⁴⁰ When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”

⁴¹ And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet^* not My will,^* but Yours be done.”

⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. ⁴⁴ And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood^* falling to the ground.

⁴⁵ When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ⁴⁶ “Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

The Betrayal of Jesus

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹ Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

⁵¹ But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw? ⁵³ Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus

⁵⁴ Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.

⁵⁵ When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. ⁵⁶ A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said.

⁵⁷ But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said.

⁵⁸ A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

⁵⁹ About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

⁶⁰ “Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied.

And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

⁶³ The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded Him and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” ⁶⁵ And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

⁶⁶ At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin^* and said, ⁶⁷ “If You are the Christ, tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe. ⁶⁸ And if I ask you a question, you will not answer. ⁶⁹ But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power^* of God.”

⁷⁰ So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

⁷¹ “Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.”