< Matthew 26 >
1 Jesus, having ended this discourse, said to his disciples,
2 You know that two days hence comes the passover. Then the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be crucified.
3 About this time the chief priests and scribes, and the elders of the people, were convened in the palace of Caiaphas the high priest,
4 where they consulted how they might take Jesus by surprise, and kill him.
5 They said, however, not during the festival, lest there be a commotion among the people.
6 Now Jesus being in Bethany, in the house of Simon, formerly a leper,
7 a woman came to him with an alabaster box of balsam, very precious, which she poured on his head while he was at table.
8 His disciples observing it, said, with indignation, Why this profusion?
9 This might have been sold for a great price, and the money given to the poor.
10 Jesus knowing it, said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good office.
11 For you have the poor always amongst you, but me you have not always.
12 For it is to embalm me, that she has poured this balsam upon my body.
13 Indeed, I say to you, in what part soever of the world the gospel shall be preached, what this woman has now done, shall be mentioned to her honor.
14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
15 and said, What will you give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they weighed to him thirty shekels.
16 And from that time he watched an opportunity to deliver him up.
17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where shall we prepare for you the paschal supper?
18 He answered, Go into the city, to such a man, and tell him, The Teacher says, My time is near; I must celebrate the passover at your house with my disciples.
19 And the disciples did as they were ordered, and prepared the passover.
20 In the evening he placed himself at table with the twelve;
21 and while they were eating, he said, Indeed, I say to you, that one of you will deliver me up.
22 And they were extremely sorrowful, and began every one of them to say, Master, is it I?
23 He answering, said, The man, whose hand is in the dish with mine, is he who betrays me.
24 The Son of Man departs in the manner foretold in the scripture concerning him; but alas for that man, by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! it had been better for that man never to have been born.
25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, said also, Rabbi, is it I?
26 As they were eating, Jesus took the loaf; and having given thanks, broke it; and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 Then he took the cup, and, having given thanks, gave it to them, saying, Drink of this all of you:
28 for this is my blood, the blood of the new institution, shed for many, for the remission of sins.
29 I assure you, that I will not henceforth drink of the product of the vine, until the day when I shall drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
30 And after the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, This night I shall prove a stumbling stone to you all; for it is written, "I will smite the Shepherd, and the flock will disperse."
32 But after I am raised again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter, then, said to him, Though you should prove a stumbling stone to them all, I never will be made to stumble.
34 Jesus answered, Indeed, I say to you, that this very night, before the cock crow, you will thrice disown me.
35 Peter replied, Although I should die with you, I never will disown you. And all the disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, Stay here, while I go yonder and pray.
37 And he took with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee; and being oppressed with grief,
38 said to them, My soul is overwhelmed with a deadly anguish; abide here, and watch with me.
39 And going a little before, he threw himself on his face, and praying, said, My Father, remove this cup from me, if it be possible; nevertheless, not as I would, but as thou wilt.
40 And he returned to his disciples, and finding them asleep, said to Peter, Is it so, then, that you could not keep awake with me a single hour?
41 Watch and pray, that you be not overcome by temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 A second time he withdrew and prayed, saying, O my Father, if there be no exemption for me; if I must drink this cup, thy will be done.
43 Upon his return, he again found them sleeping, (for their eyes were overpowered.)
44 Again, leaving them, he went and prayed the third time, using the same words.
45 Then he came back to his disciples, and said to them, Do you sleep now, and take your rest? Behold, the hour approaches, when the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinners.
46 Arise, let us be going; lo! he who betrays me is at hand.
47 Before he was done speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, appeared with a great multitude, armed with swords and clubs, and sent by their chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, The man whom I shall kiss in he; secure him.
49 And coming directly to Jesus, he said, Hail, Rabbi, and kissed him.
50 Jesus answered, Friend, for what purpose do you come? Then they advanced, and laying hands on Jesus, seized him.
51 Upon this, one of Jesus' company laying hands upon his sword, drew it; and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear.
52 Jesus said to him, Sheathe your sword; for whoever has recourse to the sword, shall fall by the sword.
53 Do you think, that I can not presently invoke my Father, who would send to my relief more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But in that case how should the scriptures be accomplished, which declare that these things must be?
55 Then turning to, the multitude, he said, Do you come with swords and clubs to apprehend me, like people in pursuit of a robber? I sat daily amongst you, teaching in the temple, and you did not arrest me.
56 But all this has happened, that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.
57 Now thy who had apprehended Jesus, brought him to Caiaphas the high priest, with whom the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 But Peter followed him at a distance, to the court of the high priest's house, and having gone in, sat with the officers to see the issue.
59 Meantime the chief priests, and the elders, and the whole Sanhedrin, sought out false evidence against Jesus, upon which they might condemn him to die.
60 But though many false witnesses appeared, they found it not. At length two false witnesses came,
61 who charged him with saying, I can demolish the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.
62 Then the high priest rising, said to him, Do you answer nothing to what these men testify against you?
63 Jesus remaining silent, he added, On the part of the living God, I adjure you to tell us, whether you be the Messiah, the Son of God?
64 Jesus answered him, It is as you say: nay, be assured, that hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of heaven.
65 Then the high priest, rending his clothes, said, He has uttered blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses, now that you have heard him blaspheme?
66 What think you? They answered, He deserves to die.
67 Then they spit in his face. Some gave him blows on the head, and others struck him on the cheeks,
68 and said, Divine to us, Messiah, who it was the smote you.
69 Now Peter was sitting without in the court, and a maid servant came to him, and said, You also were with Jesus, the Galilean.
70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know nothing of the matter.
71 And as he went out into the porch, another maid observing him, said to them, This man too was there with Jesus the Nazarene.
72 Again he denied, swearing that he knew him not.
73 Soon after some of the bystanders said to Peter, You are certainly one of them, for your speech discovers you.
74 Upon which, with execrations and oaths, he asserted that he did not know him; and immediately the cock crew.
75 Then Peter remembered the word, which Jesus had said to him, Before the cock crow, you will thrice disown me. And he went out an wept bitterly.
