< Matthew 26 >
1 Now it happened, when Jesus had finished all these words, that He said to His disciples,
2 “You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of the Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, the one called Caiaphas,
4 and they plotted to seize Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
5 But they said, “Not during the feast, in order not to have an uproar among the people.”
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman approached Him, having an alabaster flask of very expensive perfume, and she began to pour it on His head as He reclined at the table.
8 But upon seeing it His disciples were indignant saying: “Why this waste?
9 For this perfume could have been sold for a good deal and given to the poor.”
10 But being aware Jesus said to them: “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done something beautiful to me.
11 You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
12 In putting this perfume on my body she did it with a view to my burial.
13 Assuredly I say to you, wherever this gospel may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman did will also be told in her memory.”
14 Then one of the twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me so that I deliver Him to you?” So they counted out to him thirty silver coins.
16 From then on he kept looking for an opportunity to betray Him.
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus saying to Him, “Where do you want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
18 So He said: “Go into the city to ‘you know who’ and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near, I will do the Passover with my disciples at your place.”’”
19 And the disciples did as Jesus directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening He was reclining at the table with the twelve.
21 And as they were eating He said, “Assuredly I say to you that one of you will betray me.”
22 This really upset them and they each began to say to Him, “It isn't me, is it, Lord?”
23 In answer He said: “It is the one who dipped his hand in the bowl with me, he will betray me.
24 The Son of the Man is really going just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of the Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man not to have been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?” He says to him, “You said it!”
26 Now as they were eating, after taking the bread and blessing it, Jesus broke it, gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27 And taking the cup and giving thanks He gave it to them saying: “Drink of it, all of you;
28 for this is my blood, that of the new covenant, that which is being shed on behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.
29 Furthermore, I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”
30 And after hymn-singing they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus says to them: “All of you will be caused to stumble because of me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I am raised I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if everyone else is caused to stumble because of you, I will never be caused to stumble.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I say to you that this night, before any rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
35 Peter says to Him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the other disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus comes with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He says to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along He began to be troubled and distressed.
38 Then Jesus says to them: “My soul is in anguish, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.”
39 And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by; nevertheless not as I wish, but as you do.”
40 Then He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and He says to Peter: “So, you (pl.) were not able to watch with me one hour!
41 Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit on its part is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 And going away a second time He prayed saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass from me unless I drink it, let your will be done.”
43 And coming He finds them sleeping again, because their eyes had been weighed down.
44 So leaving them He went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then He comes to His disciples and says to them: “Sleep some more and take your rest! Actually, the hour is here and the Son of the Man is being betrayed into sinners' hands.
46 Get up, let's go; see, the one who is betraying me has come!”
47 And while He was still speaking, there was Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 (Now His betrayer had given them a sign saying, “Whomever I kiss, it is He; take Him!”)
49 And he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 So Jesus said to him, “Friend, what brings you here?” Then approaching they laid hands on Jesus and took Him.
51 And then, one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and striking the servant of the high priest he cut off his ear!
52 But Jesus says to him: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you actually suppose that I cannot call upon my Father right now and He will place beside me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it has to happen this way?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd: “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as against a bandit, to arrest me? I used to sit daily with you in the temple, teaching, and you did not seize me.
56 But all this has happened so that the Scriptures of the prophets should be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and ran away.
57 So those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 Now Peter was following Him at a distance, up to the high priest's courtyard. And going inside he sat down with the attendants, to see the end.
59 The chief priests and the elders, in fact the whole Council, kept looking for false witnesses against Jesus so that they could put Him to death,
60 but did not find any. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they did not find any. But at last two false witnesses came forward
61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’”
62 And standing up the high priest said to Him: “Do you answer nothing? What is it that these men are testifying against you?”
63 But Jesus kept silent. So reacting the high priest said to Him, “I put you under oath by the Living God so that you tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!”
64 Jesus says to him: “You said it. Furthermore, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of the Man sitting at the Power's right, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes saying: “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy!
66 What do you think?” So in answer they said, “He deserves death!”
67 Then they spat in His face and punched Him, while others slapped Him
68 saying, “Messiah, prophesy to us! Who is the one who hit you?”
69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a certain servant girl approached him saying, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70 But he denied before them all saying, “I don't know what you are saying.”
71 And having gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and says to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus the Natsorean.”
72 And he denied again, with an oath, “I do not know the man!”
73 But a little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Really, you too are one of them, because your very accent gives you away!”
74 Then he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before any rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And going out he cried bitterly.
