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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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Matthew 26
26
1 And it happened that, when Jesus had completed all these words, he said to his disciples,
2 "You know that after two days the Passover will begin, and the Son of man will be handed over to be crucified."
3 Then the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.
4 And they took counsel so that by deceitfulness they might take hold of Jesus and kill him.
5 But they said, "Not on the feast day, lest perhaps there may be a tumult among the people."
6 And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman drew near to him, holding an alabaster box of precious ointment, and she poured it over his head while he was reclining at table.
8 But the disciples, seeing this, were indignant, saying: "What is the purpose of this waste?
9 For this could have been sold for a great deal, so as to be given to the poor."
10 But Jesus, knowing this, said to them: "Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a good deed to me.
11 For the poor you will always have with you. But you will not always have me.
12 For in pouring this ointment on my body, she has prepared for my burial.
13 Amen I say to you, wherever this Gospel will be preached in the whole world, what she has done also shall be told, in memory of her."
14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the leaders of the priests,
15 and he said to them, "What are you willing to give me, if I hand him over to you?" So they appointed thirty pieces of silver for him.
16 And from then on, he sought an opportunity to betray him.
17 Then, on the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
18 So Jesus said, "Go into the city, to a certain one, and say to him: 'The Teacher said: My time is near. I am observing the Passover with you, along with my disciples.' "
19 And the disciples did just as Jesus appointed to them. And they prepared the Passover.
20 Then, when evening arrived, he sat at table with his twelve disciples.
21 And while they were eating, he said: "Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me."
22 And being greatly saddened, each one of them began to say, "Surely, it is not I, Lord?"
23 But he responded by saying: "He who dips his hand with me into the dish, the same will betray me.
24 Indeed, the Son of man goes, just as it has been written about him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man will be betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had not been born."
25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, responded by saying, "Surely, it is not I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said it."
26 Now while they were eating the meal, Jesus took bread, and he blessed and broke and gave it to his disciples, and he said: "Take and eat. This is my body."
27 And taking the chalice, he gave thanks. And he gave it to them, saying: "Drink from this, all of you.
28 For this is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many as a remission of sins.
29 But I say to you, I will not drink again from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father."
30 And after a hymn was sung, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them: "You will all fall away from me in this night. For it has been written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
32 But after I have risen again, I will go before you to Galilee."
33 Then Peter responded by saying to him, "Even if everyone else has fallen away from you, I will never fall away."
34 Jesus said to him, "Amen I say to you, that in this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
35 Peter said to him, "Even if it is necessary for me to die with you, I will not deny you." And all the disciples spoke similarly.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a garden, which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, "Sit down here, while I go there and pray."
37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and saddened.
38 Then he said to them: "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Stay here and keep vigil with me."
39 And continuing on a little further, he fell prostrate on his face, praying and saying: "My Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass away from me. Yet truly, let it not be as I will, but as you will."
40 And he approached his disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: "So, were you not able to keep vigil with me for one hour?
41 Be vigilant and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. Indeed, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
42 Again, a second time, he went and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away, unless I drink it, let your will be done."
43 And again, he went and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44 And leaving them behind, again he went and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then he approached his disciples and said to them: "Sleep now and rest. Behold, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise up; let us go. Behold, he who will betray me draws near."
47 While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people.
48 And he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: "Whomever I will kiss, it is he. Take hold of him."
49 And quickly drawing close to Jesus, he said, "Hail, Master." And he kissed him.
50 And Jesus said to him, "Friend, for what purpose have you come?" Then they approached, and they put their hands on Jesus, and they held him.
51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus, extending his hand, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 Then Jesus said to him: "Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
53 Or do you think that I cannot ask my Father, so that he would give me, even now, more than twelve legions of Angels?
54 How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must be so?"
55 In that same hour, Jesus said to the crowds: "You went out, as if to a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me. Yet I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not take hold of me.
56 But all this has happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then all the disciples fled, abandoning him.
57 But those who were holding Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had joined together.
58 Then Peter followed him from a distance, as far as the court of the high priest. And going inside, he sat down with the servants, so that he might see the end.
59 Then the leaders of the priests and the entire council sought false testimony against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death.
60 And they did not find any, even though many false witnesses had come forward. Then, at the very end, two false witnesses came forward,
61 and they said, "This man said: 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and, after three days, to rebuild it.' "
62 And the high priest, rising up, said to him, "Have you nothing to respond to what these ones testify against you?"
63 But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I bind you by an oath to the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 Jesus said to him: "You have said it. Yet truly I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65 Then the high priest tore his garments, saying: "He has blasphemed. Why do we still need witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy.
66 How does it seem to you?" So they responded by saying, "He is guilty unto death."
67 Then they spit in his face, and they struck him with fists. And others struck his face with the palms of their hands,
68 saying: "Prophesy for us, O Christ. Who is the one that struck you?"
69 Yet truly, Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a maidservant approached him, saying, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."
70 But he denied it in the sight of them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."
71 Then, as he exited by the gate, another maidservant saw him. And she said to those who were there, "This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth."
72 And again, he denied it with an oath, "For I do not know the man."
73 And after a little while, those who were standing nearby came and said to Peter: "Truly, you also are one of them. For even your manner of speaking reveals you."
74 Then he began to curse and to swear that he had not known the man. And immediately the rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which he had said: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And going outside, he wept bitterly.
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