¹ It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception and kill him. ² For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot among the people.” ³ Meanwhile Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon (a man who previously had been a leper). As Jesus sat, eating at the table, a woman came having a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive aromatic oil made using pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it over his head. ⁴ But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this expensive perfumed oil been wasted? ⁵ For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii (an entire year’s wages) and given to the poor!” So they criticized her. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. ⁸ She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. ⁹ With certainty I tell you, wherever this Good News is declared throughout the whole world, what this woman has done will be remembered and retold in memory of her.” ¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, found to the chief priests in order to discuss how he could betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ For their part, when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. And Judas began searching for an opportune moment to betray Jesus. ¹² On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?” ¹³ He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Enter the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴ and wherever he enters, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?“’ ¹⁵ He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make preparations there.” ¹⁶ Jesus’s disciples entered the city and found things exactly the way Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover. ¹⁷ When it was evening he arrived with the twelve. ¹⁸ As they at the table eating, Jesus said, “With certainty I tell you, one of you will betray me—even one who eats with me here.” ¹⁹ They became full of grief, and began to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?” ²⁰ Jesus answered, “It is one of you twelve who eats from this dish along with me. ²¹ For the Son of Man must die in the same way as it was written in the Scriptures. But intense grieving misery will come to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.” ²² As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.” ²³ He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. ²⁴ He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵ With certainty I tell you, I will never drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it again in God’s Kingdom.” ²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ²⁷ Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ ²⁸ However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.” ²⁹ But Peter said to him, “Even if all other people desert you, I will not.” ³⁰ Jesus said to him, “With certainty I tell you that you today that even this night—before the rooster crows twice—you will deny me three times.” ³¹ But Peter protested all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you!” They all vowed the same thing. ³² They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took with him Peter, James, and John, and became greatly troubled and distressed. ³⁴ He said to them, “My heart grieves so deeply—even to the point of death! Stay here with me and watch.” ³⁵ He went forward a little, and fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the terrible hour prepared for him might pass him by. ³⁶ He prayed, “Daddy! Father! All things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.” ³⁷ He came back and finding them sleeping said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is very willing, but ‘human strength’ is weak.” ³⁹ Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. ⁴⁰ Again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they didn’t know how to reply to him. ⁴¹ He came the third time and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The time has come. Look! the Son of Man is being betrayed into the power of evil people. ⁴² Get up! Let’s get going. Look! The one who is betraying me has arrived.” ⁴³ Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. ⁴⁴ Now the one who betrayed Jesus had told them to watch for this signal: He said, “Whoever I kiss, he is the one. Arrest him and lead him away safely.” ⁴⁵ When Judas arrived, immediately he came up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. ⁴⁶ They grabbed him and seized him. ⁴⁷ But a person who stood by drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. ⁴⁸ Jesus answered them, “Have you come as if you were chasing a robber and needed swords and clubs to seize me? ⁴⁹ I was with you in the temple every day teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this has happened so that the Scriptures could be fulfilled.” ⁵⁰ They all his disciples abandoned him and fled. ⁵¹ A certain young man followed him and all he was weaaring was a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. The mob grabbed him! ⁵² But he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. ⁵³ They led Jesus away to the high priest’s house where all the chief priests, elders, and scribes were joining them. ⁵⁴ Peter had followed Jesus from a distance, until he came into the courtyard of the high priest’s home. He sat along with the officers, warming himself in the light of the fire. ⁵⁵ Now the chief priests and the whole council searched for witnesses who could testify against Jesus so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any ⁵⁶ because although many people gave false testimony against him, their stories didn’t agree with each other! ⁵⁷ Some stood before those assembled and offered this false testimony against Jesus: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” ⁵⁹ But they even disagreed in their testimony about this! ⁶⁰ Finally the high priest stood up in the middle of the assembly and asked Jesus, “Don’t you have anything to say? How will you respond to these accusations against you?” ⁶¹ But he stayed quiet, and didn’t answer. Again the high priest asked Jesus, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶² Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting in the seat of highest power and authority and coming with the clouds of the sky.” ⁶³ The high priest tore his clothes and said, “Do we need witnesses any longer? ⁶⁴ You have heard him defaming God by claiming to be God himself! What do you think?” They unanimously declared Jesus guilty, fully deserving death. ⁶⁵ Some began to spit on him, to cover his face, to beat him with fists, and to order him, “Prophesy!” Then the officers struck him with the palms of their hands. ⁶⁶ As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came. ⁶⁷ When she noticed Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!” ⁶⁸ But he denied it! “I don’t know or understand what you are saying”, Peter answered. He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed. ⁶⁹ The maid saw him on the porch and insisted again to the other onlookers, “This man is one of them!” ⁷⁰ But Peter again denied it! And just a little bit later those who were milling around said to Peter, “You must be one of them because you are from Galilee! Your accent gives you away!” ⁷¹ But Peter began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” ⁷² Then the rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered that Jesus had told him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And Peter broke down weeping.