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Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for some devious way to arrest Jesus and kill Him. 2 “But not during the feast,” they said, or the people may commence rioting.”
3 Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon, who had been a leper. As He was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4 But some there were indignant, and they said to others, “Why has the fragrant oil been wasted like this? 5 This oil could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. What do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing for Me. 7 You will always have with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me. 8 She has done what she could; she has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought for an opportunity to betray Him.
12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and make preparations for You to eat the Passover?”
13 So He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 and Then wherever he enters a house, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the Passover with My disciples?‘ 15 He will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.”
16 So His disciples left and went to the city, and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, He said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray Me, one who is eating with Me.”
19 They began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”
20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who dips bread with Me in the bowl. 21 The Son of Man indeed goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
22 While they were speaking, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take, it; this is My body.”
23 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away; for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered’.
28 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
29 But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all fall away, yet I will not.”
30 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”
31 But Peter kept insisting, “If I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And they all said the same thing.
32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 Then He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and He began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch.”
35 Then He went on a little further, and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet, not what I will, but what You will.”
37 Then He returned and found the disciples sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you keep watch even one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Once more He went away and prayed the same thing. 40 And when He returned, He again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going. See, My betrayer is here.”
43 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal. “The One I kiss is the man,” he told them. “Arrest Him and lead Him away under guard.” 45 So when he arrived, he went straight to Jesus and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 46 The men took hold of Jesus and arrested Him. 47 Then one of those standing near took out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to capture Me as though I were a criminal? 49 I was with you every day in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then those with Him deserted Him and fled.
51 Now a certain young man, wearing nothing but a linen cloth wrapped around his body, was following Jesus. When they took hold of him, 52 he left behind the linen cloth and ran away naked.
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. 54 Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. He was sitting there with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so they could put Him to death, but they did not find any. 56 For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against Him: 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made by human hands, and in three days I will build another, not made by hands’.”
59 Yet their testimony on this did not even agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them all and asked Jesus, “Are You not going to answer? What is it that these men testify against You?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and did not answer.
Again the high priest questioned Jesus, and asked, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” Jesus answered. “And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we any more witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?
And they all condemned Him as deserving death. 65 Then some started spitting on Him, and they blindfolded Him and beat Him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards also took Him and beat Him.
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus.”
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he told them. Then he went out into the entryway, and a rooster crowed.
69 When the servant girl saw him again, she said to those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”
70 But Peter denied it again.
After a little while those standing near said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
71 Then he started to curse, and he swore an oath to them, “I don’t know this man you are talking about.”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.