The Scheme Against Jesus
Matthew 26When Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples, “Y’all know that Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of Humanity will be handed over to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people gathered together in the court of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas. They schemed together to arrest Jesus through deceit and kill him. They said, “But not during the feast, so that the people don’t riot.”
Jesus Anointed by a Woman
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on his head while he was reclining at the table. But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are y’all bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful service for me. For y’all will always have the poor with you*, but y’all won’t always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell y’all, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”
Judas Agrees to the Price of Betrayal
Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are y’all willing to give me if I deliver him to y’all?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
The Last Supper
Now on the first day of the Festival Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
He said, “Y’all go into the city to a certain man, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”
The disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover.
Now when evening had come, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. As they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell y’all that one of y’all will betray me.”
They were deeply distressed, and each began to ask him, “Surely not me, Lord?”
He answered, “The one who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The Son of Humanity will go just as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Humanity is betrayed! It would be more excellent for that man if he had not been born.”
Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Surely not me, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered him, “You said it.”
The Lord’s Supper
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after he had given thanks, he broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Y’all take and eat. This is my body.” He took the cup, and after he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “All of y’all drink it, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell y’all that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with y’all in my Father’s empire.”
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts The Disciples Will Fall Away
Then Jesus said to them, “All y’all will fall away because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’+Zech 13:7 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of y’all into Galilee.”
But Peter answered him, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”
Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”
Peter said to him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.
Gethsemane
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Y’all sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and became anguished and distressed. Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Y’all remain here and keep watch with me.”
He went a little farther, fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but as you will.”
Then he returned to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So y’all couldn’t keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that y’all won’t fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
He came again and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. He left them, went away again, and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are y’all still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Humanity is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Y’all get up, let’s go. See, my betrayer is approaching.”
Jesus Arrested
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whoever I kiss, he is the one. Arrest him.” Immediately, Judas went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here for.”
Then they came and seized Jesus and arrested him. One of those with Jesus reached out his hand to draw his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting his ear off.
Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword. Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have y’all come out with swords and clubs to capture me like a robber? Every day I sat in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But all this has happened to fulfill the writings of the prophets.”
Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Jesus Accused Before the Sanhedrin
Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. But Peter followed him from a distance to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered in and sat with the officers, to see the outcome.
Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council were trying to find false testimony against Jesus, so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two false witnesses came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
The high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these are testifying against you?” But Jesus stayed silent. The high priest answered him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Jesus said to him, “You have said so. Nevertheless, I tell y’all, from now on y’all will see the Son of Humanity sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of the heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? See, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do y’all think?”
They answered, “He is worthy of death!” Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?”
Peter’s Repeated Denials
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him, saying, “You too were with Jesus, the Galilean!”
But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
When he had gone out onto the porch, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”
After a little while the bystanders came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them; your accent makes it obvious.”
Then he began to curse and swear, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately the rooster crowed. Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.