Matthew 26

1And it came about, once Jesus had completed all these words, that he said to his disciples.

2You know that after two days the Passover comes, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified.

3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest called Caiaphas.

4They conspired to seize Jesus by deceit and kill him.

5But they said, "Not during the feast, lest an uproar arise among the people."

6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in Simon the leper's house,

7A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he reclined.

8But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "What is this waste for?"

9For this could have been sold for much and given to the poor.

10But Jesus knew and said to them, “Why do you cause the woman trouble? For she did a good deed for me.”

11For you have the poor with you always, but you do not have me always.

12For she poured this ointment on my body for my burial.

13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she did will also be spoken of as a memorial to her.

14Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests.

15He said, "How much will you give me, and I will betray him to you?" They appointed him thirty silver pieces.

16From then on, he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

17On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples approached Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you to eat?"

18He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near. With you I observe the Passover with my disciples."'"

19The disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20When evening came, he reclined with the twelve disciples.

21And as they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you that one of you will betray me."

22And deeply grieved, they each began to say to him, "Lord, it is not I?"

23He answered, "The one who dipped his hand with me in the dish—that one will betray me."

24Indeed, the Son of Man goes as it stands written about him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.

25Judas, his betrayer, answered, "Rabbi, it isn't me, is it?" He said to him, "You said it."

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."

27And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you."

28For this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

29But I say to you, I will no longer drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will stumble because of me tonight, for it stands written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”

32But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.

33But Peter answered and said to him, "Even if all stumble because of you, I will never stumble."

34Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this night before the rooster crows three times, you will deny me."

35Peter said to him, "Even if it is necessary for me to die with you, I will not deny you." Likewise all the disciples said.

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along, he began to grieve and be distressed.

38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

39He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

40He came to the disciples, found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, couldn't you stay awake with me one hour?"

41Stay alert and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42Again a second time he went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done."

43And coming again, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

44And he left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words again.

45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and rest from now on. See, the hour has come near, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners."

46Get up, let's go. Look, the one betraying me has drawn near.

47While he was still speaking, suddenly Judas, one of the twelve, arrived with a large crowd carrying swords and clubs from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48His betrayer gave them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss—that's him; take hold of him."

49And immediately he approached Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.

50Jesus said to him, “Friend, what have you come for?” Then they came near, laid hands on Jesus, and seized him.

51And suddenly one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, "Return your sword to its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

53Or do you think that I cannot beseech my Father, and he will now provide me more than twelve legions of angels?

54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen thus?

55At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Did you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? Every day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not take hold of me."

56But all this has taken place so that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.

57Those who had seized Jesus brought him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.

58But Peter followed him from afar to the high priest's courtyard, entered inside, and sat with the servants to see the end.

59The chief priests and the entire council kept seeking false testimony against Jesus so they might put him to death.

60And they found none, though many false witnesses came forward, but later two false witnesses came forward.

61They said, "This one said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.'"

62And the high priest stood up and said to him, "Do you answer nothing? What do these testify against you?"

63But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

64Jesus said to him, "You said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

65Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have for witnesses? See, now you heard the blasphemy."

66What do you think? They replied, “He deserves death.”

67Then they spat in his face and buffeted him, while others slapped him.

68saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck you?"

69Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him, saying, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean."

70But he denied before all of them, saying, "I do not know what you are saying."

71When he had gone out to the gateway, another saw him and said to those there, "This one was with Jesus the Nazarene."

72And again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the man."

73After a little while, those standing nearby came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them, for your speech makes you evident."

74Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man," and immediately the rooster crowed.

75And Peter remembered the word Jesus had said, that before a rooster crowed you would deny me three times, and going outside he wept bitterly.