CHAPTER 26
“You know
that
the
Passover
begins
in
two
days,
and
the
Son
of Man
will be handed
over
to be crucified.”
At that time,
the
chief priests
and
elders
of the
people
assembled
in
the
courtyard
of the
high priest,
whose
name was
Caiaphas,
a woman
came
to Him
with
an alabaster jar
of expensive
perfume,
which she poured
on
His
head
as He reclined at the table.
Aware of this,
Jesus
asked,
“Why
are you bothering
this
woman?
She has done
a beautiful
deed
to
Me.
Truly
I tell
you,
wherever
this
gospel
is preached
in
all
the
world,
what
she
has done
will also be told
in
memory of
her.”
and asked,
“What
are you willing
to give
me
if I
hand
Him over
to you?”
And
they set out
for him
thirty
pieces of silver.
On the
first day
of the
Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the
disciples
came
to Jesus
and asked,
“Where
do you want
us to prepare
for You
to eat
the
Passover?”
He answered,
“Go
into
the
city
to
a
certain man
and
tell
him that
the
Teacher
says,
‘My
time
is
near.
I will keep
the
Passover
with
My
disciples
at
your house.'"
The
Son
of Man
will go
just as
it is written
about
Him,
but
woe
to that
man
by
whom
He
is betrayed.
It would be
better
for him
if
he
had not been born."
Then
Judas,
who
would betray
Him,
said,
“Surely
not
I,
Rabbi?”
Jesus answered,
“You
have said it yourself.”
While
they
were eating,
Jesus
took
bread,
spoke a blessing
and broke it,
and
gave it
to the
disciples,
saying,
“Take
and eat;
this
is
My
body.”
I tell
you,
I will not drink
of
this
fruit
of the
vine
from
now on
until
the
day
when
I drink
it
anew
with
you
in
My
Father's
kingdom."
Then
Jesus
said
to 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.'
“Truly
I tell
you,”
Jesus
declared,
“this
very
night
before
the rooster
crows,
you will deny
Me
three times.”
Peter
replied,
“Even if
I must
die
with
You,
I will never deny
You.”
And
the rest of
the
disciples
said
the same.
At that time
Jesus
went
with
His disciples
to
a place
called
Gethsemane,
and
He told
them,
“Sit
here
while
I go
over there
and pray.”
And
He took with Him
Peter
and
the
two
sons
of Zebedee
and began
to be sorrowful
and
deeply distressed.
Then
He said
to them,
“My
soul
is
consumed with sorrow
to the point
of death.
Stay
here
and
keep watch
with
Me.”
Going
a little farther,
He fell
facedown
and prayed,
“My
Father,
if
it is
possible,
let this
cup
pass
from
Me.
Yet
not
as
I
will,
but
as
You will."
Then
Jesus returned
to
the
disciples
and
found
them
sleeping.
“Were you not able
to keep watch
with
Me
for one
hour?”
He asked
Peter.
“Watch
and
pray
so that
you will not enter
into
temptation.
For
the
spirit
is willing,
but
the
body
is weak.”
A second time
He went away
and prayed,
“My
Father,
if
this cup
cannot
pass
unless
I drink
it,
may Your
will
be done.”
Then
He returned
to
the
disciples
and
said,
“Are you still sleeping
and
resting?
Look,
the
hour
is near,
and
the
Son
of Man
is betrayed
into
the hands
of sinners.
While
Jesus
was still speaking,
Judas,
one
of the
Twelve,
arrived,
accompanied by
a large
crowd
armed with
swords
and
clubs,
sent from
the
chief priests
and
elders
of the
people.
“Friend,”
Jesus
replied,
“do what
you came
for.”
Then
the men stepped forward,
seized
Jesus,
and
arrested
Him.
At this,
one
of
Jesus’
companions
drew
his
sword
and
struck
the
servant
of the
high priest,
cutting off
his
ear.
“Put
your
sword
back in
its
place,”
Jesus
said
to him.
“For
all
who
draw
the sword
will die
by
the sword.
Are you not aware
that
I can
call on
My
Father,
and
He will at once put at My disposal
more than
twelve
legions
of angels?
At
that
time
Jesus
said
to the
crowd,
“Have you come out
with
swords
and
clubs
to arrest
Me
as
you would
an outlaw?
Every
day
I sat
teaching
in
the
temple courts,
and
you did not arrest
Me.
But
this
has all happened
so that
the
writings
of the
prophets
would be fulfilled.”
Then
all
the
disciples
deserted
Him
and fled.
Those
who had arrested
Jesus
led Him away
to the house of
Caiaphas
the
high priest,
where
the
scribes
and
elders
had gathered.
But
Peter
followed
Him
at
a distance,
right up
to the
courtyard
of the
high priest.
And
he went
in
and sat down
with
the
guards
to see
the
outcome.
The
chief priests
and
the
whole
Sanhedrin
were seeking
false testimony
against
Jesus
in order to
put Him to death.
and said,
“This man
declared,
‘I am able
to destroy
the
temple
of God
and
rebuild it
in
three
days.’”
So
the
high priest
stood up
and asked
Him,
“Have you no answer?
What
are these men
testifying against
you?”
But
Jesus
remained silent.
Then
the
high priest
said
to Him,
“I charge You under oath
by
the
living
God:
Tell
us
if
You
are
the
Christ,
the
Son
of God."
“You
have said it yourself,”
Jesus
answered.
“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.”
At this,
the
high priest
tore
his
garments
and said,
“He has blasphemed!
Why
do we
need
any more
witnesses?
Look,
now
you have heard
the
blasphemy.
Meanwhile,
Peter
was sitting
out
in
the
courtyard,
and
a
servant girl
came up
to him.
“You
were
also
with
Jesus
the
Galilean,”
she said.
When
Peter had gone out
to
the
gateway,
another servant girl
saw
him
and
said
to the people
there,
“This man
was
with
Jesus
of
Nazareth.”
After
a little while,
those
standing nearby
came up
to Peter.
“Surely
you
are
one of
them,”
they said,
“for
your
accent
gives
you
away.”
At that,
he began
to curse
and
swear to them,
“I do not know
the
man!”
And
immediately
a rooster
crowed.
Then
Peter
remembered
the
word
Jesus
had spoken:
“Before
the rooster
crows,
you will deny
Me
three times.”
And
he went
outside
and wept
bitterly.