|
The Plot Against Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he
said to his disciples,
2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the
Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people
assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way
and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said,
“or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the
Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very
expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was
reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.
“Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have
been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you
bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not
always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body,
she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you,
wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what
she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas
Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are
you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So
they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From
then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
The Last Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened
Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you
want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and
tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am
going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your
house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them
and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table
with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said,
“Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one
after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand
into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will
go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who
betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had
not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said,
“Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when
he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his
disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for
many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, 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 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the
Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all
fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock
will be scattered.’
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into
Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of
you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very
night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three
times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with
you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples
said the same.
Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place
called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go
over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and
troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch
with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to
the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may
this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you
will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them
sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one
hour?” he asked Peter.
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into
temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father,
if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I
drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping,
because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went
away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same
thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them,
“Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near,
and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Jesus Arrested
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the
Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with
swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders
of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal
with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going
at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed
him.
50 Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then
the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51
With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,
drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest,
cutting off his ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to
him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53
Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once
put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54
But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it
must happen in this way?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading
a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to
capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,
and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place
that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then
all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas
the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the
elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a
distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He
entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were
looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could
put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many
false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61
and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the
temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus,
“Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that
these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained
silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under
oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the
Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to
all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting
at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds
of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He
has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses?
Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you
think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with
their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to
us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
Peter Disowns Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a
servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of
Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know
what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another
servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This
fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the
man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up
to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent
gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to
them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before
the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he
went outside and wept bitterly. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
