1 It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth, and kill him.

2 But they said, »Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.«

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly. And she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

4 But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, »Why was this ointment wasted?

5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.« And they criticized her sharply.

6 But Jesus said, »Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me.

8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial.

9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.«

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray him to them.

11 And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought an opportunity to betray him.

12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, »Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?«

13 And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, »Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him.

14 And wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’

15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready; make preparations for us there.«

16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening he came with the twelve.

18 And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, »Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.«

19 They began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one, »Is it I?«

20 He said to them, »It is one of the twelve, one who dips bread into the dish with me.

21 For the Son of Man goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.«

22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, »Take; this is my body.«

23 Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24 And he said to them, »This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.«

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus said to them, »You will all fall away; for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd,and the sheep will be scattered.’

28 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.«

29 Peter said to him, »Even if all fall away, I will not.«

30 Jesus said to him, »Truly, I say to you that this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.«

31 But he spoke more vehemently, »If I have to die with you, I will not deny you!« And they all said the same.

32 They went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, »Sit here, while I pray.«

33 And he took Peter, James and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.

34 And he said to them, »My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; stay here, and watch.«

35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36 And he said, »Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me; yet not what I will, but what you will.«

37 Then he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, »Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.«

39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.

40 And when he came again, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer him.

41 Then he came the third time and said to them, »Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

42 Rise, let us go; see, my betrayer is at hand.«

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, »The one I shall kiss is the man; seize him and lead him away under guard.«

45 And when he came, he went up to him at once, and said, »Rabbi!« and he kissed him.

46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.

47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48 And Jesus said to them, »Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?

49 Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled.«

50 Then they all forsook him and fled.

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth around his body. And they seized him,

52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were assembled.

54 But Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.

56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimonies did not agree.

57 Then some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

58 »We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’«

59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, »Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?«

61 But he was silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, »Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?«

62 And Jesus said, »I am. And you will see the Son of Mansitting at the right hand of the Power,and coming with the clouds of heaven.«

63 The high priest tore his clothes and said, »Why do we need any more witnesses?

64 You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?« And they all condemned him as worthy of death.

65 Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to beat him, and to say to him, »Prophesy!« And the guards received him with slaps in the face.

66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, »You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.«

68 But he denied it, saying, »I neither know nor understand what you mean.« And he went out into the gateway.

69 And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, »This is one of them.«

70 But again he denied it. And after a little while again those standing near said to Peter, »Surely you are one of them; for you are a Gallilean.«

71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, »I do not know this man of whom you speak.«

72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had said to him, »Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.« And he broke down and wept.