The Plot to Kill Jesus

1Thea Festival of •Unleavened Bread,b which is called •Passover,c was drawing near. 2The •chief priests and the •scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death,d because they were afraid of the people.e

3Thenf Satan entered Judas,g called Iscariot,h who was numbered among the Twelve. 4He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple policei how he could hand Him overj to them. 5They were glad and agreed to give him silver.k 6So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him to them when the crowd was not present.

Preparation for Passover

7Thenl the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.m 8Jesus sent Peter and John,n saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it.”

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

10“Listen,” He said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. 11Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples? ” ’ 12Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs.o Make the preparations there.”

13So they went and found it just as He had told them,p and they prepared the Passover.

The First Lord’s Supper

14Whenq the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 15Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it againr until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”s 17Then He took a cup,t and after giving thanks,u He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body,v which is given for you. Do this in remembrancew of Me.”

20In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenantx established by My blood;y it is shed for you.z 21Butaa look, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me!ab 22For the •Son of Man will go away as it has been determined,ac but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! ”

23So they began to arguead among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do this thing.

The Dispute over Greatness

24Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.ae 25But He said to them,af “The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are calledag ‘Benefactors.’ah 26But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you must become like the youngest,ai and whoever leads, like the one serving. 27For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves.aj 28You are the ones who stood by Me in My trials.ak 29I bestow on you a kingdom,al just as My Father bestowed one on Me, 30so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom.am And you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.an

Peter’s Denial Predicted

31“Simon, Simon,ao look out! Satanap has asked to sift youaq like wheat.ar 32But I have prayedas for youat that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthenau your brothers.”

33“Lord,”av he told Him, “I’m ready to go with You both to prison and to death! ”

34“I tell you, Peter,” He said, “the rooster will not crow today untilaw you deny three times that you know Me! ”

Be Ready for Trouble

35He also said to them, “When I sent you outax without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything? ”

“Not a thing,” they said.

36Then He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one. 37For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted among the outlaws.ay,az Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment.”ba

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

“Enough of that! ”bb He told them.

The Prayer in the Garden

39He went out and made His waybc as usualbd to the •Mount of Olives,be and the disciples followed Him. 40When He reached the place,bf He told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”bg 41Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,bh 42“Father, if You are willing, take this cupbi away from Me — nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

43Then an angel from heavenbj appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44Being in anguish,bk He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.bl 45When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief.bm 46“Why are you sleeping? ” He asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.”

The Judas Kiss

47Whilebn He was still speaking, suddenly a mob was there, and one of the Twelve named Judas was leading them. He came near Jesus to kiss Him, 48but Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? ”

49When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword? ” 50Then one of them struck the high priest’s •slave and cut off his right ear.

51But Jesus responded, “No more of this! ”bo And touching his ear, He healed him. 52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple police, and the elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal?bp 53Every day while I was with you in the •temple complex,bq you never laid a hand on Me. But this is your hourbr — and the dominion of darkness.”bs

Peter Denies His Lord

54They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peterbt was following at a distance. 55Theybu lit a fire in the middle of the courtyardbv and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with Him too.”

57But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know Him! ”

58After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too! ”

“Man, I am not! ” Peter said.

59About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with Him, since he’s also a Galilean.”

60But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about! ” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter.bw So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”bx 62And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Jesus Mocked and Beaten

63The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating Him.by 64After blindfolding Him, they keptbz asking, “Prophesy! Who hit You? ” 65And they were saying many other blasphemousca things against Him.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

66When daylight came,cb the elderscc of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes,cd convened and brought Him before their •Sanhedrin.ce 67They said,cf “If You are the •Messiah, tell us.”

But He said to them, “If I do tell you, you will not believe. 68And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.”cg

70They all asked, “Are You, then, the Son of God? ”ch

And He said to them, “You say that I am.”ci

71“Why do we need any more testimony,” they said, “since we’ve heard it ourselves from His mouth? ”