Now it was two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the experts in the law were looking for a crafty way to arrest Jesus and kill him,
for they said, “Not during the feast, otherwise there will be a riot among the People.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
And while he was in Bethany reclining to eat in the house of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster flask of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She broke the flask and poured it on his head.
But there were some who were angry, saying to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted?
For this perfume could have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor.” And they were scolding her harshly.
But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you giving her trouble? She has done a noble thing for me.
For you will always have the poor with you, and you are able to do good to them whenever you want, but you will not always have me.
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
And truly I say to you, wherever the good news is preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Judas to Betray Jesus
And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.
And they were glad when they heard this and promised to give him money. And he began seeking an opportunity to betray him.
The Passover with the Disciples
And on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him,
and whatever place he enters, say to the head of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare the meal for us there.”
And the disciples left and came into the city, and found everything just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
And when it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
And as they reclined and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”
They began to be grieved and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?”
And he said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who dips bread with me in the bowl.
For the Son of Man will go to die just as it is written about him, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Institution of the Lord's Supper
And while they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave it to them and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
Truly I say to you, I will absolutely not drink of the fruit of the vine again until that day when I drink new wine in the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial
And after they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
And Jesus said to them, “All of you will desert me, for it is written: I will strike down the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.
But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
But Peter said to him, “Even if everyone deserts you, I will not.”
And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that today—this night—before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
But he declared emphatically, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all kept saying the same thing.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
And they went to a place that was named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
And he took Peter and James and John with him, and he began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
And he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, almost to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.”
And he went a short distance away from them and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour would pass from him.
And he said, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for you; take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I want but what you want.”
And he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not strong enough to stay awake for one hour?
Stay awake and pray so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
And again he came and found them sleeping, because their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know how to answer him.
And he came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Get up, let’s go! Look! The one who is betraying me has drawn near.”
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, and with him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests and the experts in the law and the elders.
Now, the one who was betraying him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss is the one, arrest him and lead him away under guard.”
And when he had arrived, he immediately went up to him and said, “Rabbi,” and kissed him.
And they laid their hands on him and arrested him.
But one of his followers who was standing nearby drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to capture me, as if I were a criminal?
I was with you daily, teaching in the Temple and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.”
And they all left him and fled.
A Young Man Flees
And a certain young man followed him, who wore a linen garment wrapped around his naked body, and they tried to arrest him,
but he left the linen garment and fled naked.
Jesus Before the Council
And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the experts in the law came together.
And Peter had followed him at a distance all the way into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting with the servants and warming himself near the light of the fire.
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they could not find any,
because many were giving false testimony against him, but their testimonies did not agree.
Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying,
“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that is made by human hands, and in three days I will build another not made by human hands.’”
But their testimony did not even agree on this.
And the high priest stood up in the midst of them and asked Jesus, saying, “Do you not have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?”
But he remained silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
And the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses?
You have heard the defaming speech. What do you think?” And they all condemned him to be deserving of death.
And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and to beat him with their fists, and to say to him, “Prophesy!” And then the Temple police also took him and beat him.
Peter Denies Jesus
And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came near.
And when she noticed Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You were also with the Nazarene—Jesus.”
But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about!” And he went out to the gateway and the rooster crowed.
And when the servant girl noticed him again, she began to say to those standing nearby, “This man is one of them!”
But he denied it again. And after a little while those who were standing nearby said to Peter again, “Truly you are one of them, because you are also a Galilean.”
But he began to pronounce a curse upon himself and to swear with an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.”
And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the words, how Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and began to cry.