Matthew 26
26
The Plot to Kill Jesus
1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2“As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man#26:2 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. will be handed over to be crucified.”
3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7While he was eating,#26:7 Or reclining. a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
The Last Supper
17On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.
20When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table#26:20 Or Jesus reclined. with the Twelve. 21While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
25Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
26As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant#26:28 Some manuscripts read the new covenant. between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
30Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike # 26:31 Greek I will strike. Zech 13:7. the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”
33Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”
34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
35“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
40Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
42Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away#26:42 Greek If this cannot pass. unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
44So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
47And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
50Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands#26:53 Greek twelve legions. of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”
55Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 56But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus before the Council
57Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered. 58Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end.
59Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council#26:59 Greek the Sanhedrin. were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death. 60But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came forward 61who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand#26:64a Greek seated at the right hand of the power. See Ps 110:1. and coming on the clouds of heaven.”#26:64b See Dan 7:13.
65Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. 66What is your verdict?”
“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”
67Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”
Peter Denies Jesus
69Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
70But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.#26:71 Or Jesus the Nazarene.”
72Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
73A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
74Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
75Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.
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Matthew 26: NLT
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Matthew 26
26
Matthew 26
1¶ And it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples,
2Ye know that after two days is the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
3Then the princes of the priests and the scribes and the elders of the people assembled together in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4and took counsel that they might take Jesus by guile and kill him.
5But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
6¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7a woman came unto him having an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sat at the table.
8But when his disciples saw it, they became indignant, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
9For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.
10But Jesus, understanding this, said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she has wrought a good work upon me.
11For ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always.
12For in that she has poured this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare for my burial.
13Verily I say unto you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her.
14¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the princes of the priests
15and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
17¶ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
18And he said, Go into the city to a certain man and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
19And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them, and they made ready the passover.
20Now when the evening was come, he sat down at the table with the twelve.
21And as they ate, he said, Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me.
22And they were exceeding sorrowful and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
23And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.
25Then Judas, who was betraying him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
26¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and, having blessed it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27And taking the cup and having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29But I say unto you, I will not drink from now on of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
30And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
31¶ Then Jesus said unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended in thee, yet I will never be offended.
34Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me three times.
35Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
36¶ Then Jesus came with them unto a place called Gethsemane and said unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38Then he said unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch with me.
39And he went a little further and fell on his face, praying and saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40And he came unto the disciples and found them asleep and said unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.
43And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44And leaving them, he went away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45Then he came unto his disciples and said unto them, Sleep on now and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47¶ And while he yet spoke, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the princes of the priests and elders of the people.
48Now he that betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.
49And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Receive joy, master; and kissed him.
50And Jesus said unto him, Friend, why art thou come? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
51And, behold, one of those who was with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck a slave of the high priest and smote off his ear.
52Then Jesus said unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place, for all those that take the sword shall perish by the sword.
53Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?
55In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56But all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.
57¶ And those that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58But Peter followed him afar off unto the patio of the high priest and went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59Now the princes of the priests and the elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
60but found none; though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses
61who said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.
62And the high priest arose and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing to what these witness against thee?
63But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.
64Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said it; nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
67Then they spit in his face and buffeted him, and others smote him with the staves,
68saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ; who is he that smote thee?
69¶ Now Peter sat outside in the patio; and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto those that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73And after a while those that stood by came unto him and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech makes thee manifest.
74Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately a cock crew.
75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said unto him, Before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International