Matthew 26:1-22 ▼

1 Now it happened that when Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be delivered over for crucifixion.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;

4 and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, lest a riot occur among the people.”

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

8 But when the disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?

9 For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good work to Me.

11 For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

12 For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.

13 Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

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

15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to deliver Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.

16 And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’”

19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

20 Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

21 And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”

22 And being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”