Matthew 26
Complete Jewish Bible
26 When Yeshua had finished speaking, he said to his talmidim, 2 “As you know, Pesach is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to the execution-stake.”
3 Then the head cohanim and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of Kayafa the cohen hagadol. 4 They made plans to arrest Yeshua surreptitiously and have him put to death; 5 but they said, “Not during the festival, or the people will riot.”
6 Yeshua was in Beit-Anyah, at the home of Shim‘on, the man who had had tzara’at. 7 A woman who had an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume approached Yeshua while he was eating and began pouring it on his head. 8 When the talmidim saw it, they became very angry. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This could have been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor.” 10 But Yeshua, aware of what was going on, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 She poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13 Yes! I tell you that throughout the whole world, wherever this Good News is proclaimed, what she has done will be told in her memory.”
14 Then one of the Twelve, the one called Y’hudah from K’riot, went to the head cohanim 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I turn Yeshua over to you?” They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to Y’hudah.[a] 16 From then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray him.
17 On the first day for matzah, the talmidim came to Yeshua and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare your Seder?” 18 “Go into the city, to so-and-so,” he replied, “and tell him that the Rabbi says, ‘My time is near, my talmidim and I are celebrating Pesach at your house.’” 19 The talmidim did as Yeshua directed and prepared the Seder.
20 When evening came, Yeshua reclined with the twelve talmidim; 21 and as they were eating, he said, “Yes, I tell you that one of you is going to betray me.” 22 They became terribly upset and began asking him, one after the other, “Lord, you don’t mean me, do you?” 23 He answered, “The one who dips his matzah in the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will die just as the Tanakh says he will; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him had he never been born!” 25 Y’hudah, the one who was betraying him, then asked, “Surely, Rabbi, you don’t mean me?” He answered, “The words are yours.”
26 While they were eating, Yeshua took a piece of matzah, made the b’rakhah, broke it, gave it to the talmidim and said, “Take! Eat! This is my body!” 27 Also he took a cup of wine, made the b’rakhah, and gave it to them, saying, “All of you, drink from it! 28 For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven. 29 I tell you, I will not drink this ‘fruit of the vine’ again until the day I drink new wine with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
30 After singing the Hallel, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Yeshua then said to them, “Tonight you will all lose faith in me, as the Tanakh says, ‘I will strike the shepherd dead, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[b] 32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into the Galil.” 33 “I will never lose faith in you,” Kefa answered, “even if everyone else does.” 34 Yeshua said to him, “Yes! I tell you that tonight before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” 35 “Even if I must die with you,” Kefa replied, “I will never disown you!” And all the talmidim said the same thing.
36 Then Yeshua went with his talmidim to a place called Gat-Sh’manim and said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Kefa and Zavdai’s two sons. Grief and anguish came over him, 38 and he said to them, “My heart is so filled with sadness that I could die! Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 Going on a little farther, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet — not what I want, but what you want!” 40 He returned to the talmidim and found them sleeping. He said to Kefa, “Were you so weak that you couldn’t stay awake with me for even an hour? 41 Stay awake, and pray that you will not be put to the test — the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak.”
42 A second time he went off and prayed. “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, let what you want be done.” 43 Again he returned and found them sleeping, their eyes were so heavy.
44 Leaving them again, he went off and prayed a third time, saying the same words. 45 Then he came to the talmidim and said, “For now, go on sleeping, take your rest. . . . Look! The time has come for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up! Let’s go! Here comes my betrayer!”
47 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim and elders of the people. 48 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want — grab him!” 49 He went straight up to Yeshua, said, “Shalom, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Yeshua said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they moved forward, laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him.
51 At that, one of the men with Yeshua reached for his sword, drew it out and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Yeshua said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, for everyone who uses the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you know that I can ask my Father, and he will instantly provide more than a dozen armies of angels to help me? 54 But if I did that, how could the passages in the Tanakh be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”
55 Then Yeshua addressed the crowd: “So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion? Every day I sat in the Temple court, teaching; and you didn’t seize me then. 56 But all this has happened so that what the prophets wrote may be fulfilled.” Then the talmidim all deserted him and ran away.
57 Those who had seized Yeshua led him off to Kayafa the cohen hagadol, where the Torah-teachers and elders were assembled. 58 Kefa followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the cohen hagadol; then he went inside and sat down with the guards to see what the outcome would be.
59 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin looked for some false evidence against Yeshua, so that they might put him to death. 60 But they didn’t find any, even though many liars came forward to give testimony. At last, however, two people came forward and said, 61 “This man said, ‘I can tear down God’s Temple and build it again in three days.’” 62 The cohen hagadol stood up and said, “Have you nothing to say to the accusation these men are making?” 63 Yeshua remained silent. The cohen hagadol said to him, “I put you under oath! By the living God, tell us if you are the Mashiach, the Son of God!” 64 Yeshua said to him, “The words are your own. But I tell you that one day you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[c] 65 At this, the cohen hagadol tore his robes. “Blasphemy!” he said. “Why do we still need witnesses? You heard him blaspheme! 66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty,” they answered. “He deserves death!” 67 Then they spit in his face and pounded him with their fists; and those who were beating him 68 said, “Now, you ‘Messiah,’ ‘prophesy’ to us: who hit you that time?”
69 Kefa was sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him. “You too were with Yeshua from the Galil,” she said. 70 But he denied it in front of everyone — “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 71 He went out onto the porch, and another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Yeshua of Natzeret.” 72 Again he denied it, swearing, “I don’t know the man!” 73 After a little while, the bystanders approached Kefa and said, “You must be one of them — your accent gives you away.” 74 This time he began to invoke a curse on himself as he swore, “I do not know the man!” — and immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Kefa remembered what Yeshua had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times”; and he went outside and cried bitterly.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:15 Zechariah 11:12
- Matthew 26:31 Zechariah 13:7
- Matthew 26:64 Daniel 7:13; Psalm 110:1
Matthew 26
New King James Version
The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
26 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 (B)“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3 (C)Then the chief priests, [a]the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and (D)plotted to take Jesus by [b]trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the (E)people.”
The Anointing at Bethany(F)
6 And when Jesus was in (G)Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 (H)But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 (I)For you have the poor with you always, but (J)Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My (K)burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(L)
14 (M)Then one of the twelve, called (N)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, (O)“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples(P)
17 (Q)Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, (R)“My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
20 (S)When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will (T)betray Me.”
22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said, (U)“He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just (V)as it is written of Him, but (W)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! (X)It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper(Y)
26 (Z)And as they were eating, (AA)Jesus took bread, [c]blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; (AB)this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, (AC)“Drink from it, all of you. 28 For (AD)this is My blood (AE)of the [d]new covenant, which is shed (AF)for many for the [e]remission of sins. 29 But (AG)I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on (AH)until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 (AI)And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AJ)
31 Then Jesus said to them, (AK)“All of you will (AL)be [f]made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
(AM)‘I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised, (AN)I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are [g]made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
34 Jesus said to him, (AO)“Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples.
The Prayer in the Garden(AP)
36 (AQ)Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and (AR)the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, (AS)“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and (AT)prayed, saying, (AU)“O My Father, if it is possible, (AV)let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, (AW)not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 (AX)Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. (AY)The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour [i]is at hand, and the Son of Man is being (AZ)betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane(BA)
47 And (BB)while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” (BC)and kissed Him.
50 But Jesus said to him, (BD)“Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, (BE)one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, (BF)for all who take the sword will [j]perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with (BG)more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, (BH)that it must happen thus?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the (BI)Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then (BJ)all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin(BK)
57 (BL)And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But (BM)Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, [k]the elders, and all the council sought (BN)false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 [l]but found none. Even though (BO)many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last (BP)two [m]false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, (BQ)‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
62 (BR)And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But (BS)Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, (BT)“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, (BU)hereafter you will see the Son of Man (BV)sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 (BW)Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His (BX)blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”
They answered and said, (BY)“He is deserving of death.”
67 (BZ)Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and (CA)others struck Him with [n]the palms of their hands, 68 saying, (CB)“Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly(CC)
69 (CD)Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your (CE)speech betrays you.”
74 Then (CF)he began to [o]curse and [p]swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, (CG)“Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:3 NU omits the scribes
- Matthew 26:4 deception
- Matthew 26:26 M gave thanks for
- Matthew 26:28 NU omits new
- Matthew 26:28 forgiveness
- Matthew 26:31 caused to take offense at Me
- Matthew 26:33 caused to take offense at You
- Matthew 26:42 NU if this may not pass away unless
- Matthew 26:45 has drawn near
- Matthew 26:52 M die
- Matthew 26:59 NU omits the elders
- Matthew 26:60 NU but found none, even though many false witnesses came forward.
- Matthew 26:60 NU omits false witnesses
- Matthew 26:67 Or rods,
- Matthew 26:74 call down curses
- Matthew 26:74 Swear oaths
Matthew 26
Expanded Bible
The Plan to Kill Jesus(A)
26 After Jesus finished saying all these things [C this is the end of Jesus’ fifth and final discourse in Matthew; see 7:28], he told his ·followers [disciples], 2 “You know that ·the day after tomorrow [L two days from now] is the day of the Passover Feast [C the festival during which an unblemished lamb was sacrificed]. On that day the Son of Man will be ·given to his enemies [handed over] to be crucified.”
3 Then the ·leading [T chief] priests and the elders ·had a meeting [assembled] at the ·palace [court] of the high priest, named Caiaphas. 4 At the meeting, they ·planned [plotted] ·to set a trap [to act secretly/treacherously] to arrest Jesus and kill him. 5 But they said, “We must not do it during the ·feast [Passover festival], because the people might cause a riot.”
Perfume for Jesus’ Burial(B)
6 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, ·who had a skin disease [L the leper; C for leprosy, see 8:2; Simon may have been healed by Jesus.]. 7 While Jesus was there, a woman approached him with an alabaster ·jar [vial] filled with expensive perfume. She poured this perfume on Jesus’ head while he was ·eating [L reclining; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party].
8 His ·followers [disciples] were ·upset [indignant] when they saw the woman do this. They asked, “Why waste that perfume? 9 It could have been sold for a great deal of money and the money given to the poor.”
10 Knowing what had happened, Jesus said, “Why are you ·troubling [bothering; criticizing] this woman? She did an ·excellent thing [beautiful/good deed] for me. 11 You will always have the poor with you [Deut. 15:11], but you will not always have me. 12 This woman poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the ·Good News [Gospel] is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Betrays Jesus(C)
14 Then one of ·the twelve apostles [L the Twelve], [L who was called] Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the ·leading [T chief] priests. 15 He said, “What will you ·pay [give] me for ·giving [betraying; delivering] Jesus to you?” And they ·gave him [weighed/counted out] thirty silver coins [Zech. 11:12]. 16 After that, Judas watched for ·the best time [an opportunity] to ·turn Jesus in [betray him].
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal(D)
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the ·followers [disciples] came to Jesus. They said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18 Jesus answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: “·The chosen time is near [L My time has come/drawn near]. I will ·have [celebrate; observe] the Passover with my ·followers [disciples] at your house.”’” 19 The ·followers [disciples] did what Jesus told them to do, and they prepared the Passover meal.
20 In the evening Jesus was ·sitting at the table [L reclining; C the posture for a banquet] with his twelve ·followers [disciples]. 21 As they were eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will ·turn against [betray] me.”
22 This made the ·followers [disciples] very ·sad [distressed; pained]. Each one began to say to Jesus, “·Surely, Lord, I am not the one, am I [Surely not I, Lord; or Is it I, Lord]?”
23 Jesus answered, “The man who has dipped his hand with me into the bowl [C probably not a signal, but means “one who shares close fellowship with me”] is the one who will ·turn against [betray] me. 24 The Son of Man will ·die [go to his fate; L go], just as the Scriptures say. But ·how terrible it will be for [L woe to] the person ·who hands the Son of Man over to be killed [L by whom the Son of Man is betrayed]. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
25 Then Judas, who would ·give Jesus to his enemies [betray him], said to Jesus, “·Teacher [L Rabbi], ·surely I am not the one, am I [surely not I; or is it I]?”
Jesus answered, “·Yes, it is you [L You have said it].”
The Lord’s Supper(E)
26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and ·thanked God for [blessed] it and ·broke [divided] it. Then he gave it to his ·followers [disciples] and said, “·Take this bread and eat it [L Take, eat]; this is my body.”
27 Then Jesus took a cup and ·thanked God for it [gave thanks] and gave it to the ·followers [disciples]. He said, “Every one of you drink [L from] this. 28 This is my blood ·which is the new[a] agreement that God makes with his people [or which confirms/establishes the new covenant; L of the new covenant; Ex. 24:8. Jer. 31:31–34]. This blood is poured out for many ·to forgive their [T for the remission of] sins [Is. 53:12]. 29 I tell you this: I will not drink of this ·fruit of the vine [wine] again until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30 After singing a hymn [C probably the Hallel psalms (Ps. 113—118), sung during the Passover meal], they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus’ Followers Will Leave Him(F)
31 Jesus told ·his followers [L them], “Tonight you will all ·stumble in your faith [fall away; desert] on account of me, because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will ·kill [strike] the shepherd,
and the sheep [L of the flock] will ·scatter [be scattered]’ [Zech. 13:7].
32 But after ·I rise from the dead [L I am raised], I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33 Peter said, “Everyone else may ·stumble in their faith [fall away; desert] because of you, but I will not.”
34 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows you will ·say three times you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].”
35 But Peter said, “Even if I must die with you, I will never ·say that I don’t know [deny/disown] you!” And all the other ·followers [disciples] said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone(G)
36 Then Jesus went with his ·followers [disciples] to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to be very ·sad [sorrowful] and ·troubled [anguished; distressed]. 38 He said to them, “My ·heart [soul] is ·full of sorrow [overwhelmed with grief], to the point of death. Stay here and ·watch [stay awake; be alert] with me.”
39 After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell [with his face] to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, ·do not give me [L let pass from me] this ·cup of suffering [L cup; C suffering is metaphorically portrayed as something bitter to drink]. But do ·what you want [your will], not ·what I want [my will].” 40 Then Jesus went back to his ·followers [disciples] and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “You men could not ·stay awake [watch] with me for one hour? 41 ·Stay awake [Keep watch] and pray for strength ·against temptation [or not to fail the test]. The spirit ·wants to do what is right [is willing], but ·the body [or human nature; T the flesh] is weak.”
42 Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for ·this painful thing [L this thing; C the cup of suffering; v. 39] to be taken from me, and if I must ·do [drink] it, ·I pray that what you want [L may your] will be done.”
43 Then he went back to his ·followers [disciples], and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So Jesus left them and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then Jesus went back to his ·followers [disciples] and said, “·Are you still sleeping and resting? [or Go ahead, sleep and have your rest!] The time has come for the Son of Man to be ·handed over to [L betrayed/delivered into the hands of] sinful people. 46 Get up, we must go. Look, here comes ·the man who has turned against me [my betrayer].”
Jesus Is Arrested(H)
47 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve], came up. With him were many people carrying swords and clubs who had been sent from the ·leading [T chief] priests and the Jewish elders of the people. 48 Judas had planned to give them a ·signal [sign], saying, “The man I kiss is ·Jesus [the one]. ·Arrest [Seize] him.” 49 At once Judas went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, ·Teacher [L Rabbi]!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus answered, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Then the people came and grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 ·When that happened [L And look/T behold], one of ·Jesus’ followers [L those with Jesus] reached for his sword and pulled it out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
52 Jesus said to the man, “Put your sword back in its place. [L For] All who ·use swords [L take the sword] will ·be killed with swords [L die/perish by the sword]. 53 ·Surely [L Don’t…?] you know I could ask my Father, and he would give me more than twelve ·armies [legions] of angels. 54 But ·it must happen this way to bring about what the Scriptures say [L how, then, could the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?].”
55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a ·criminal [revolutionary; rebel; L robber; C the term “robber” was used by the Romans of insurrectionists]. Every day I sat in the Temple teaching, and you did not arrest me there. 56 But all these things have happened ·so that it will come about as the prophets wrote [L to fulfill the writings/scriptures of the prophets].” Then all of Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] ·left [deserted] him and ·ran away [fled].
Jesus Before the Leaders(I)
57 Those people who ·arrested [seized] Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the ·teachers of the law [scribes] and the elders were gathered. 58 Peter followed far behind to the courtyard of the high priest’s house, and he sat down with the guards to see ·what would happen to Jesus [L the end/outcome].
59 The ·leading [T chief] priests and the whole ·Jewish council [Sanhedrin; C the highest Jewish court] tried to find ·something false [false evidence/testimony] against Jesus so they could ·kill [execute] him. 60 Many people came and ·told lies about him [testified falsely], but the council could find no real reason to kill him. ·Then [Finally] two people came and said, 61 “This man said, ‘I can destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? ·Don’t you have something to say about their [or What about these] ·charges [testimony] against you?” 63 But Jesus ·said nothing [was silent; Is. 53:7].
Again the high priest said to Jesus, “I ·command you by the power of [demand in the name of; put you under oath by] the living God: Tell us if you are the ·Christ [Messiah], the Son of God.”
64 Jesus answered, “·Those are your words [L You have said it/so; C an indirect affirmation]. But I tell you, ·in the future [L from now on] you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the ·Powerful One [or the place of power; L power], and coming on ·clouds in the sky [the clouds of heaven; Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13–14].”
65 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes [C a sign of sorrow or outrage] and said, “This man has ·said things that are against God [blasphemed]! ·We don’t [Why should we…?] need any more witnesses; you all heard ·him say these things against God [the blasphemy]. 66 What ·do you think [is your verdict]?”
The people answered, “He ·should [deserves to; is guilty and should] die.”
67 Then the people there spat in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68 They said, “·Prove to us that you are a prophet [L Prophesy to/for us], you ·Christ [Messiah]! Tell us who hit you!”
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus(J)
69 At that time, as Peter was sitting [L outside] in the courtyard, a servant girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. He said, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
71 When he left the courtyard and was at the gate, another girl saw him. She said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again, ·Peter said he was never with him, saying, “I swear [L he denied it with an oath, saying,] I don’t know this man Jesus!”
73 A short time later, some people standing there went to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it [C Peter’s Galilean accent gave him away].”
74 Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, “I don’t know the man.” At once, a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows, you will ·say three times that you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].” Then Peter went outside and ·cried painfully [T wept bitterly].
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:28 new Some Greek copies do not have this word. Compare Luke 22:20.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.