< Mark 14 >
1 It was only two days before the [people] ([celebrated/started to celebrate]) [for one week the] festival [which they called] Passover. During those days they also celebrated the festival of (Unleavened Bread/[eating] bread that had no yeast in it). The chief priests and the men who taught the [Jewish] laws were planning how they could seize Jesus secretly. [They wanted to accuse him in front of the Roman authorities] so that they would execute him.
2 But they were saying to one another, “We must not [do it] during the celebration, because, [if we do it then], the people will [be very angry with us and] riot!”
3 Jesus was at Bethany [town] in the house of Simon, whom [Jesus had healed from] leprosy. While they were eating, a woman came [to him]. [She was carrying] a stone jar that contained expensive [fragrant] perfume called nard. She opened the jar and then she poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 One of the people [who were present] became angry and said to the others, “([It is terrible that she] wasted that perfume!/[Why did she] waste that perfume?) [RHQ]
5 It could have been sold {[We] could have sold it} for (a huge amount of money/an amount of money for which a person works for a year), and then [the money] could have been given {[we] could have given [the money]} to poor people!” So he rebuked her.
6 But Jesus said, “Stop [scolding] her! She has done to me what I [consider to be] very appropriate/delightful. So (you should not bother her!/why do you bother her?) [RHQ]
7 You will always have poor people among you. So you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not [be here among] you much longer. [So it is good for her to show now that she appreciates me].
8 [It is appropriate that] she has done what she was able to do. [It is as if she knew that I was going to die soon] and has anointed my body for their burying it.
9 I will tell you this: Wherever the good message [about me] is preached {people preach the good message} throughout the world, what she has done will be told {people will tell others what she has done [to me]}, and as a result people will remember her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth [Town]) went to the chief priests in order to [talk to them about] helping them to seize Jesus. He did that [even though] he was one of the twelve [disciples]
11 When they heard [what he was willing to do for them], they were very happy. They promised that they would give him [a large amount of] money [for doing that. Judas agreed, so they gave him the money]. As a result, he [began] watching for an opportunity (to betray Jesus/to enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him).
12 [Two days later], when they killed the lambs [for the] festival at the beginning of the week when [people ate] bread that had no yeast in it, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare the meal for the Passover [celebration] in order that you can eat it [with us]?”
13 So he [chose] two of his disciples [to prepare everything]. He said to them, “Go into [Jerusalem] city. A man will meet you, who will be carrying a large jar full of water. Follow him.
14 When he enters [a house], say to the man who owns the house, ‘[Our] teacher wants us to prepare [the meal of] the Passover celebration so that he can eat it with us his disciples. (Please show us the room that he [arranged with you about]./Where is the room that he [arranged with you about]?) [RHQ]’
15 He will show you a large room that is on the upper floor [of the house]. It will be furnished and ready [for us to eat a meal in it]. Then prepare the meal there for us.”
16 So the [two] disciples left. They went into the city and found [everything] to be just like he had told them. They prepared the [meal for] the Passover [celebration, and then returned to Jesus and the other disciples].
17 When it was evening, Jesus arrived [at that house] with the twelve [disciples].
18 As they were all sitting there [and eating], Jesus said, “Listen carefully to this: One of you will enable my enemies to seize me. Specifically, it is one of you who [will do this in spite of the fact that he] is eating with me [right now]!”
19 The disciples became very sad and they said to him one by one, “Surely (it is not I!/I am not the one, am I?) [RHQ]”
20 Then he said to them, “It is one of [you] twelve [disciples], the one who is dipping [bread] into the [sauce in the] dish along with me.
21 It is certain that [I], the one who came from heaven, will [die], because that is what has been {what [the prophets] have} written about me. But there will be terrible [punishment] for the man by whom I will be betrayed {who will (betray me/help my enemies to seize me)}! In fact, it would be better for that man if he had never been born!”
22 While they were eating, he took [a flat loaf of] bread and thanked God for it. Then he broke it [into pieces] and gave it to them and said to them, “This [bread represents] [MET] my body. Take it [and eat it].”
23 Afterwards, he took a cup [that contained wine] and thanked [God for it]. Then he gave it to them, and then, as they all drank from it,
24 he said to them, “This [wine represents] [MET] my blood, which is about to be shed {which is about to flow from my body} [when my enemies kill me]. With this blood I [will sign] the agreement [that God has made to forgive the sins of] many people.
25 I want you to know this: I will not drink any more wine in this way until the time when I drink it with a new [meaning] when I begin to rule as a king.”
26 After they sang a hymn, they went out toward Olive [Tree] Hill.
27 [While they were on their way], Jesus said to them, “It has been {[The prophets] have} written [in the Scriptures that God said about me], ‘I will kill the shepherd and his sheep will scatter.’ [Those words will come true. When they are about to capture me], all of you will leave me and run away.
28 But after I have been made {[God] has made me} alive again, I will go ahead of you to Galilee [district and meet you there].”
29 Then Peter said to him, “Perhaps all the [other disciples] will leave you, but not I! I will not [leave you]!”
30 Then Jesus said to him, “The truth is that this very night, before the rooster crows a second time, you yourself will deny three times [that you know] me!”
31 But Peter replied strongly, “Even if they kill me [as I defend] you, I will never deny [that I know] you!” And all [the other disciples] said the same thing.
32 [On the way], Jesus and the disciples came to the place that [people] call Gethsemane. Then he said to [some/eight of] his disciples, “Stay here while I pray!”
33 Then he took Peter, James, and John with him. He became extremely distressed, and he said to them,
34 “I [SYN] am very sorrowful. [It is as if] I were about to die. [You men] remain here and stay awake!”
35 He went a bit further and threw himself on the ground. Then he prayed that if it were possible, he would not [have to suffer] [MTY].
36 He said, “O my Father, [because] you are able to do everything, rescue me so that I do not have to suffer [now] [MTY]! But do not [do] what I want. Instead, [do] what you want!”
37 Then he returned and found his [disciples] sleeping. He [woke them up and] said, “Simon! ([I am disappointed that] you fell asleep and that you were not able to stay awake for just a short time!/[Why is it that] you fell asleep and that you were not able to stay awake for just one hour?) [RHQ]”
38 [And he said to them], “You want [to do what I say], but you are not strong enough [MTY] [to actually do it]. So keep awake and pray in order that you can resist when [something like this] tempts you!”
39 Then he went away again and prayed again what he prayed before.
40 When he returned, he found that they were sleeping again because they were [so] sleepy that they could not keep their eyes open. [Because they were ashamed], they did not know what to say to him [when he awakened them].
41 [Then he went and prayed again]. He returned a third time; [and he found them sleeping again]. He [woke] all of [them and] said to them, “([I am disappointed that you are] sleeping again!/[Why are you] sleeping again?) [RHQ] [You have slept] enough. The time [for me to suffer] is about to begin. Look! Someone is about to enable sinful men to seize me, the one who came from heaven.
42 [So] get up! Let’s go [toward him] Look! Here comes the one who is enabling them to seize me!”
43 While he was still speaking, Judas [arrived]. [Even though he was] one of [Jesus’] twelve [disciples], he came [to enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him]. A crowd who carried swords and clubs was with him. The [leaders of] the Jewish Council had sent them.
44 [Judas], who was (betraying Jesus/helping Jesus’ enemies to seize him), had [previously] told this crowd, “The man whom I kiss is the one [whom you want. When I kiss him], seize him and lead him away [while you guard him] carefully.”
45 So, when Judas arrived, he immediately went to Jesus and said, “My teacher!” Then he kissed Jesus [on his neck/cheek].
46 Then [the crowd] seized Jesus.
47 But one of the [disciples] who was standing nearby drew his short sword. He struck the servant of the high priest with it [to kill him, but he only] cut off his ear.
48 Jesus said to them, “([It is ridiculous that] you come [here to seize] me with swords and clubs, as if I were a bandit!/Have you come [here to seize] me with swords and clubs, as if I were a bandit [RHQ]?) Day after day I was with you in the Temple [courtyard] teaching [the people] Why did you not seize me then? [But this is happening] in order that [what the prophets have written in] the Scriptures [about me] may be fulfilled {may happen}.”
49
50 All [the disciples at once] left him and ran away.
51 At that time, (a young man/I) was following Jesus. He/[I was] wearing only a linen cloth around his/my body. The crowd seized him/me.
52 But, [as he/I pulled away from them], he/I left behind the linen cloth [in their hands], and then he/I ran away naked.
53 The men [who had seized] Jesus led him away to [the house where] the supreme priest [lived]. All of the Jewish Council were gathering [there].
54 Peter followed Jesus at a distance. He went into the courtyard [of the house] where the supreme priest [lived], and sat there with the men who guarded [the house of the supreme priest]. He was warming himself beside a fire.
55 The chief priests and all the rest of the Jewish council [had already] tried to find people who would tell lies about Jesus [in order that they could convince the Roman authorities] to execute him. But they did not succeed,
56 because, although many people spoke lies about him, they contradicted each other.
57 [Finally], some stood up and accused him falsely by saying,
58 “We heard him when he said, ‘I will destroy this Temple that was built by men, and then within three days I will build another temple (without help from anyone else/that human hands will not build).’”
59 But, what [some of] these men said also did not agree with [what others of them said].
60 Then the supreme priest [himself] stood up in front of them and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to reply? What [do you say about] all the things that they are saying in order to accuse you?”
61 But Jesus was silent and did not reply [DOU]. Then the supreme priest [tried again]. He asked him, “Are you the Messiah? [Do you say that you are] (the Son of God/the man who is also God)?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. Furthermore, you will see me, the one who came from heaven, [ruling] beside God, who is completely powerful. [You will also see me] coming down through the clouds in the sky!”
63 [In response to Jesus’ words], the supreme priest tore his outer garment. [That was their custom to show that he was shocked that Jesus had said that he was equal to God]. Then he said, “We certainly do not [RHQ] need any [more] people who will testify [against this man],
64 [because] you have heard what he said against God! [He claimed to be equal with God] Therefore, what have you decided?” They all said that Jesus was guilty and deserved (to be executed/that they should kill him).
65 Then some of them began spitting on Jesus. They put a blindfold on him, and then they began striking him and saying to him, “[If you are] a prophet, tell us [who hit you]!” And those who were guarding Jesus struck him with their hands.
66 While Peter was outside in the courtyard [of the supreme priest’s house], one of the girls who worked for the supreme priest came [near him].
67 When she saw Peter warming himself [beside the fire], she looked at him [closely]. Then she said, “You also were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth [town]!”
68 But he denied it by saying, “I do not know or understand [DOU] what you are talking about!” Then he went away [from there] to the gate [of the courtyard].
69 [The] servant girl saw him there and said to the people who were standing nearby, “This man is one of [those who have been with that man they arrested].”
70 But he denied it again. After a little while, one of those who were standing there said to Peter again, “[The way you speak shows that] you also are from Galilee [district]. So it is certain that you are one of those [who accompanied Jesus!]”
71 But he began to exclaim, “I do not know the man that you are talking about! Because God knows that I am speaking truthfully, may he punish me [if I am lying]!”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him [before], “Before the rooster crows a second time, you will deny three times [that you know me.” When he realized that he had denied it three times], he started crying.
