1 WHEN Jesus had finished all these discourses, he said to his disciples,

2 "You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed to be crucified."

3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled at the house of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas,

4 and they plotted to seize Jesus by some trick and kill him.

5 But they said, "Not on the feast day, so that there may not be a riot among the people."

6 When Jesus had come to Bethany and was in the house of Simon the leper,

7 a woman came up to him, bringing an alabaster jar of costly ointment, and poured it on his head while he was reclining at table.

8 On seeing this, the disciples were indignant and said, "Why this waste?

9 This could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."

10 But Jesus observed it and said, "Why are you troubling the woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

11 You have the poor with you always, but me you will not have always.

12 For in pouring this ointment on my body she prepared me for burial.

13 I tell you truly wherever this good news shall be proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be spoken of too in memory of her."

14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests

15 and asked, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver.

16 And from that moment he kept seeking a favorable time to betray him.

17 On the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you wish us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

18 He answered, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is near. I will keep the Passover with my disciples at your house.'

19 The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening had come, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.

21 While they were eating, he said, "I tell you truly one of you will betray me."

22 Greatly grieved, they began to ask him, each in turn, "It is not I, Master?"

23 He answered, "He who dipped his band with me in the dish is the one who will betray me.

24 The Son of Man is going as it has been written of him, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! For that man it would be good not to have been born."

25 Then Judas the traitor asked, "It is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus replied, "It is you."

26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it. This is my body."

27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;

28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

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

30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will stumble and fail me to-night; for it is written, 'I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

32 But after I am raised, I will precede you to Galilee."

33 Peter answered him, "Though all stumble and fail you, I never will stumble and fail."

34 Jesus said to him, "I tell you truly that to-night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times."

35 Peter said to him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not disown you." And so said all of the disciples.

36 Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray yonder."

37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.

38 He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sad, even to death. Stay here and watch with me."

39 Then he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as thou wilt."

40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So you could not watch one hour with me!

41 Watch and pray so as not to enter into temptation. Your spirit is eager, but your flesh is weak."

42 Again a second time he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done."

43 He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

44 So he left them and went away again and prayed a third time, saying again the same words.

45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "You are sleeping on and resting! Now has come the hour when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46 Up, let us be going. Here comes my betrayer."

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent by the high priests and elders of the people.

48 The traitor had given them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss is he. Arrest him."

49 Immediately he came up to Jesus and said, "Good evening, Rabbi," and kissed him affectionately.

50 Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here for." Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus and arrested him.

51 Suddenly one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the High Priest, cutting off his ear.

52 Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

53 Do you think that I cannot call on my Father and have him send to me now more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that so it must be?"

55 Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out to seize me as if against a robber, with swords and clubs? Every day I sat in the Temple teaching and you did not arrest me.

56 But all this has happened that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57 The men who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had assembled.

58 Peter followed him at a distance as far as the court of the High Priest, and went in and sat among the attendants to see the end.

59 The high priests and the whole council sought for false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death.

60 But they did not find any, although many false witnesses came. Finally, two came forward

61 and said, "This man said, 'I can pull down the Temple of God and in three days build it up again.' "

62 The High Priest rose and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is it that these are testifying to against you?"

63 But Jesus kept silence. The High Priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

64 Jesus said to him, "I am he. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

65 Then the High Priest rent his garments, saying, "Impious words! Why do we any longer need witnesses? See, you have now heard his impious words.

66 What do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death."

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Some slapped him,

68 saying, "Act the prophet for us, you Christ! Who was it that struck you? "

69 Peter was sitting outside in the court. A maid came up to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaean."

70 But he denied it before all, saying, "I do not know what you mean."

71 When he had gone out into the gateway, another maid saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."

72 Then again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the man."

73 After a little those who were standing there came up and said to Peter, "Truly you are one of them, for your accent proves it."

74 Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man." Immediately the cock crew, and

75 Peter remembered what Jesus had said, "Before the cock crows you will disown me three times," and he went out and wept bitterly.