1 When Jesus had finished talking, he said to his disciples:

2 »As you know, the Passover will be here in two days. At that time the Son of man will be captured and impaled.«

3 The chief priest and the elders of the people assembled at the court of Caiaphas, the high priest.

4 All of them, using deceit, worked together to capture Jesus and kill him.

5 They insisted: »Not during the feast; it could start a riot among the people.«

6 Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper.

7 A woman came to him having an alabaster vase containing very precious ointment. She poured it upon his head while he was eating.

8 The disciples saw it and were indignant. »To what purpose is this waste?

9 »This ointment could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor.«

10 Jesus was aware of this and said: »Why do you trouble the woman? Her expression to me was good.

11 »The poor are always with you, but I am not always with you.

12 »She poured this ointment on my body to prepare me for burial.

13 »I tell you, Everywhere this good news is preached in the entire world, this good deed done by this woman will be spoken of in memory of her.«

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

15 He asked them: »What are you willing to give me to deliver him to you?« They paid him thirty pieces of silver.

16 He continued to seek opportunity to turn him over to them.

17 The first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus. They asked: »Where do you wish to eat the Passover?«

18 Jesus told them to go into the city and tell a certain man: »The Teacher’s time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.«

19 The disciples did as Jesus told them, to get ready for the Passover.

20 When evening arrived, he sat down to eat with the twelve disciples.

21 While they ate, he said: »One of you will betray me.«

22 They were filled with sorrow, and each one asked him: »Is it I, Lord?«

23 He answered: »He who dips his hand with me in the dish is the same one who will betray me.

24 »It is written that the Son of man will depart. The man who betrays him will experience much grief. It would have been better if that man had not been born.«

25 Judas, the man who betrayed him, asked: »Is it I, Rabbi?« Jesus replied: »You said it.«

26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed, and broke it; and he gave to the disciples. Then he said: »Take, eat; this is representsmeansexemplifies my body.«

27 Then he took a cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: »Drink it all.«

28 »This is representsmeansexemplifies my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

29 »I tell you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.«

30 After they sang a song of praise to God, they went to the Mount of Olives.

31 Jesus said to them: »All of you will fall away because of me tonight. It is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 »When I am raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.«

33 Peter answered: »Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.«

34 Jesus said: »I say to you, this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.«

35 Peter protested: »Even if I must die for you, I would not deny you!« His disciples said the same thing.

36 Jesus went with them to Gethsemane. He said to his disciples: »Sit here while I go over there and pray.«

37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. He was sorrowful and very troubled.

38 He told them: »My heart is deeply grieved to the point of death. Stay with me and watch.«

39 Then he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed: »My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.«

40 When he came to the disciples, they were sleeping. He said to Peter: »Could you not watch with me one hour?

41 »Watch and pray continually that you do not enter into temptation!«

42 A second time he went away and prayed, saying: »Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, your will be done.«

43 He returned to find them sleeping again, for their eyes were heavy.

44 He went away to pray a third time, saying the same words.

45 After returning to the disciples, he said: »Do you sleep now and take your rest? The hour is here and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46 »Arise, let us go; the man who betrays me is here.«

47 As he spoke, Judas, one of the twelve, followed by a crowd carrying swords and spears, approached him. The chief priest and elders of the people had sent them.

48 He that betrayed him gave them a sign. He told them: »The one I kiss is he. Take him.«

49 He went directly to Jesus and said: »Hail, Rabbi,« and kissed him.

50 Jesus told him: »Do that for which you came.« They laid hands on Jesus, and captured him.

51 Look, one of them with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest.

52 Jesus told him: »Put your sword in its place. Those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.

53 »Do you think I cannot ask my Father for help? He would send me more than twelve legions of angels.

54 »How then will the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?«

55 That very hour Jesus said to the people, »Have you come out to take me with swords and sticks as if I were a thief? You did not take me when I taught in the Temple daily.

56 »This has taken place so that the writings of the prophets will come true.« Then all his disciples left him.

57 Those who captured Jesus took him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and those in authority also gathered there.

58 But Peter kept his distance. He followed him to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the servants, to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death.

60 They failed, even though a number of false witnesses came.

61 Later two witnesses came. They said: »This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’«

62 The high priest stood up and said to him: »Have you no answer? What is it these say against you?«

63 Jesus said nothing. The high priest said to him: »I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.«

64 Jesus said to him: »You said it yourself. And I say to you, after this 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 ripped his robes apart and said: »He has said evil against God! Why do we need more witnesses? You have heard his words of blasphemy!«

66 »What is your opinion?« The crowd answered: »Put him to death!«

67 They spat in his face and hit him, saying:

68 »Prophesy to us, you Christ; tell us who hit you!«

69 Peter was seated in the square outside the house, and a servant-girl came to him. She said: »You were with Jesus the Galilean.«

70 In front of everybody, he replied: »I do not know what you are talking about.«

71 When he reached the gate, another saw him and said: »This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.«

72 Again he denied with an oath: »I have no knowledge of the man.«

73 A few moments later, those who were near approached and said to Peter: »Indeed, you are one of them, because the way you speak gives you away.«

74 Then with curses and oaths he said: »I do not know the man!« And immediately a rooster crowed.

75 Peter remembered what Jesus told him: »Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.« He went out and wept bitterly.