The Plot to Kill Jesus

14 It^(A) was two days before the Passover^(B) and the Festival^(C) of Unleavened Bread.^(D) The chief priests and the scribes^(E) were looking for a cunning^(F) way to arrest Jesus and kill him.^{(G) 2} ‘Not during the festival,’ they said, ‘so that there won’t be a riot among the people.’

The Anointing at Bethany

³ While^(H) he was in Bethany^(I) at the house of Simon the leper,^[a](J) as he was reclining at the table,^(K) a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.^{(L) 4} But some were expressing indignation to one another: ‘Why has this perfume been wasted? ⁵ For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii^[b](M) and given to the poor.’^(N) And they began to scold her.

⁶ Jesus replied, ‘Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing^(O) for me. ⁷ You always have the poor^(P) with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.^{(Q) 8} She has done what she could; she has anointed my body^(R) in advance for burial.^{(S) 9} Truly I tell you,^(T) wherever the gospel^(U) is proclaimed in the whole world,^(V) what she has done will also be told in memory of her.’

¹⁰ Then^(W) Judas Iscariot,^(X) one of the Twelve,^(Y) went to the chief priests^(Z) to betray Jesus^(AA) to them. ¹¹ And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money.^(AB) So he started looking for a good opportunity to betray^(AC) him.

Preparation for Passover

¹² On^(AD) the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb,^(AE) his disciples^(AF) asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover so that you may eat it? ’

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples and told them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, “The Teacher^(AG) says, ‘Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? ’ ” ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.’ ¹⁶ So the disciples^(AH) went out, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Betrayal at the Passover

¹⁷ When^(AI) evening came, he arrived with the Twelve.^{(AJ) 18} While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me – one who is eating with me.’

¹⁹ They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, ‘Surely not I? ’

²⁰ He said to them, ‘It is one of the Twelve – the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me. ²¹ For the Son of Man^(AK) will go just as it is written^(AL) about him,^(AM) but woe^(AN) to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.’

The First Lord’s Supper

²² As^(AO) they were eating, he took bread,^(AP) blessed and broke^(AQ) it, gave it to them,^(AR) and said, ‘Take it; this is my body.’^{(AS) 23} Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks,^(AT) he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ²⁴ He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant,^[c](AU) which is poured out^(AV) for many.^{(AW) 25} Truly I tell you,^(AX) I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine^(AY) until that day when I drink it new^[d](AZ) in the kingdom of God.’^(BA)

²⁶ After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^(BB)

Peter’s Denial Predicted

²⁷ Then^(BC) Jesus said to them, ‘All of you will fall away,^[e] because it is written:^(BD)

²⁸ But after I have risen,^(BG) I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’^(BH)

²⁹ Peter^(BI) told him, ‘Even if everyone falls away, I will not.’

³⁰ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to him, ‘today, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’^(BJ)

³¹ But he kept insisting, ‘If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.’ And they all said the same thing.

The Prayer in the Garden

³² Then^(BK) they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples,^(BL) ‘Sit here while I pray.’^{(BM) 33} He took Peter,^(BN) James,^(BO) and John^(BP) with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ He said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved^[g] to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.’^{(BQ) 35} He went a little further, fell to the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour^(BR) might pass from him. ³⁶ And he said, ‘Abba,^[h] Father!^(BS) All things are possible^(BT) for you. Take this cup^(BU) away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.’ ³⁷ Then he came and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, ‘Simon,^(BV) are you sleeping?^(BW) Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour? ³⁸ Stay awake and pray^(BX) so that you won’t enter into temptation.^[i](BY) The spirit^(BZ) is willing, but the flesh^(CA) is weak.’ ³⁹ Once again he went away and prayed, saying the same thing. ⁴⁰ And again he came and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him.^{(CB) 41} Then he came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. See, the Son of Man^(CC) is betrayed into the hands of sinners.^{(CD) 42} Get up;^(CE) let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.’

Judas’s Betrayal of Jesus

⁴³ While^(CF) he was still speaking, Judas,^(CG) one of the Twelve,^(CH) suddenly arrived. With him was a mob, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes,^(CI) and the elders.^{(CJ) 44} His betrayer had given them a signal. ‘The one I kiss,’ he said, ‘he’s the one; arrest him and take him away under guard.’ ⁴⁵ So when he came, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi! ’^(CK) and kissed him. ⁴⁶ They took hold of him and arrested him. ⁴⁷ One of those who stood by drew his sword, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,^[j] to capture me? ⁴⁹ Every day I was among you, teaching in the temple,^(CL) and you didn’t arrest me. But the Scriptures^(CM) must be fulfilled.’^(CN)

⁵⁰ Then they all deserted him and ran away.^{(CO) 51} Now a certain young man, wearing nothing but a linen cloth, was following him. They caught hold of him, ⁵² but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked.^(CP)

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

⁵³ They^(CQ) led Jesus away to the high priest,^(CR) and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes^(CS) assembled.^{(CT) 54} Peter^(CU) followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants,^[k](CV) warming himself by the fire.

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(CW) were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death,^(CX) but they could not find any. ⁵⁶ For many were giving false testimony^(CY) against him, and the testimonies did not agree. ⁵⁷ Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, stating, ⁵⁸ ‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple made with human hands,^(CZ) and in three days I will build another not made by hands.” ’ ⁵⁹ Yet their testimony did not agree^(DA) even on this.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, ‘Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you? ’ ⁶¹ But he kept silent and did not answer.^(DB) Again the high priest questioned him, ‘Are you the Messiah,^(DC) the Son^(DD) of the Blessed^(DE) One? ’

⁶² ‘I am,’^(DF) said Jesus, ‘and you will see the Son of Man^(DG) seated at the right hand^(DH) of Power and coming with the clouds^(DI) of heaven.’^[l](DJ)

⁶³ Then the high priest^(DK) tore his robes^(DL) and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses?^{(DM) 64} You have heard the blasphemy.^(DN) What is your decision? ’ They all condemned him as deserving death.^(DO)

⁶⁵ Then some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to beat him, saying, ‘Prophesy! ’^(DP) The temple servants^(DQ) also took him and slapped him.

Peter Denies His Lord

⁶⁶ While^(DR) Peter^(DS) was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s maidservants came. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’^(DT)

⁶⁸ But he denied it: ‘I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about.’ Then he went out to the entrance,^[m] and a cock crowed.^[n]

⁶⁹ When the maidservant saw him again, she began to tell those standing nearby, ‘This man is one of them.’

⁷⁰ But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, ‘You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean.’^[o](DU)

⁷¹ Then he started to curse and swear,^(DV) ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about! ’

⁷² Immediately a cock crowed a second time,^(DW) and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.