The Plan to Kill Jesus^(A)

14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread [^Cthe annual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12]. The ·leading [^Tchief] priests and ·teachers of the law [scribes] were trying to find a ·trick [secret way] to arrest Jesus and kill him. ² But they said, “We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot.”

A Woman with Perfume for Jesus^(B)

³ Jesus was in Bethany at the house of ·Simon, who had a skin disease [^LSimon the leper; ^Cfor leprosy, see 1:40; Simon may have been healed by Jesus]. While Jesus was ·eating there [^Lreclining; ^Cthe posture for a banquet or dinner party; 2:15], a woman approached him with an alabaster ·jar [vial] filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She ·opened [broke open] the ·jar [vial] and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.

⁴ Some who were there became ·upset [indignant] and said to each other, “Why waste that perfume? ⁵ It was worth ·a full year’s work [^Lover three hundred denarii]. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” And they ·got very angry with [harshly scolded] the woman.

⁶ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you ·troubling [bothering; criticizing] her? She did an ·excellent thing [beautiful/good deed] for me. ⁷ You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want [Deut. 15:11]. But you will not always have me. ⁸ This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she ·poured perfume on [anointed] my body to prepare me for burial. ⁹ 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)

¹⁰ One of ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve], Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the ·leading [^Tchief] priests to offer to ·hand Jesus over [betray him] to them. ¹¹ These priests were pleased about this and promised to pay Judas money. So he watched for ·the best time [an opportunity] to ·turn Jesus in [betray him].

Jesus Eats the Passover Meal^(D)

¹² It was now the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb was sacrificed. Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”

¹³ Jesus sent two of his ·followers [disciples] and said to them, “Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ When he goes into a house, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is my guest room in which I can eat the Passover meal with my ·followers [disciples]?”’ ¹⁵ The owner will show you a large ·room upstairs [^Tupper room] that is furnished and ready. ·Prepare the food [Make preparations] for us there.”

¹⁶ So the ·followers [disciples] left and went into the city. Everything happened as Jesus had said, so they prepared the Passover meal.

¹⁷ In the evening, Jesus went to that house with the twelve. ¹⁸ While they were all ·eating [^Lreclining and eating; see v. 3], Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will ·turn against [betray] me—one of you eating with me now.”

¹⁹ The ·followers [disciples] were very ·sad [distressed; pained] to hear this. Each one began to say to Jesus, “·I am not the one, am I [Surely not I; or Is it I]?”

²⁰ Jesus answered, “It is one of the twelve—one who dips his bread into the bowl with me [^Cprobably not a signal, but means “one who shares close fellowship with me”]. ²¹ The Son of Man will ·die [go to his fate; ^Lgo], just as the Scriptures say. But ·how terrible it will be for [^Lwoe to] the person ·who hands the Son of Man over to be killed [^Lby whom the Son of Man is betrayed]. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”

The Lord’s Supper^(E)

²² While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and ·thanked God for [blessed] it and broke it. Then he gave it to his ·followers [disciples] and said, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then Jesus took a cup and ·thanked God for it [gave thanks] and gave it to ·the followers [the disciples; them], and they all drank from the cup.

²⁴ Then Jesus said, “This is my blood ·which is the new^[a] agreement that God makes with his people [or which confirms/establishes the new covenant; ^Lof the new covenant; Ex. 24:8. Jer. 31:31–34]. This blood is poured out for many [Is. 53:12]. ²⁵ I tell you the truth, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine [^Cwine] again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ After singing a hymn [^Cprobably 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)

²⁷ Then Jesus told them, “You will all ·stumble in your faith [fall away; desert me], because it is written in the Scriptures:

²⁸ But after ·I rise from the dead [^LI am raised], I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

²⁹ Peter said, “Everyone else may ·stumble in their faith [fall away; desert you], but I will not.”

³⁰ Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows twice you will ·say three times you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].”

³¹ But Peter insisted, “Even if I must die with you, I will never ·say that I don’t know [deny/disown] you!” And all the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays Alone^(G)

³² Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be very ·sad [distressed] and ·troubled [anguished]. ³⁴ 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].”

³⁵ After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell [with his face] to the ground and prayed that, if possible, ·he would not have this time of suffering [^Lthe hour might pass him by]. ³⁶ He prayed, “Abba [^CAramaic for “father”], Father! You can do all things. ·Take away this cup of suffering [^LTake this cup from me; ^Csuffering is metaphorically portrayed as something bitter to drink; see 10:38]. But do ·what you want [your will], not ·what I want [my will].”

³⁷ Then Jesus went back to his ·followers [disciples] and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you ·stay awake [watch] with me for one hour? ³⁸ ·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 [human nature; ^Tthe flesh] is weak.”

³⁹ Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ Then he went back to his ·followers [disciples], and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were very heavy. And they did not know what to say to him.

⁴¹ After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his ·followers [disciples] and said to them, “·Are you still sleeping and resting? [or Go ahead, sleep and have your rest!] ·That’s enough [It’s all over; The account is settled; ^Cthe meaning of this phrase is uncertain]. The time has come for the Son of Man to be ·handed over to [^Lbetrayed/delivered into the hands of] sinful people. ⁴² Get up, we must go. Look, here comes ·the man who has turned against me [my betrayer].”

Jesus Is Arrested^(H)

⁴³ At once, 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 [^Tchief] priests, the ·teachers of the law [scribes], and the Jewish elders.

⁴⁴ ·Judas [^LThe betrayer] had planned a signal for them, saying, “The man I kiss is Jesus. ·Arrest [Seize] him and guard him while you lead him away.” ⁴⁵ So Judas went straight to Jesus and said, “·Teacher [^LRabbi]!” and kissed him. ⁴⁶ Then the people grabbed Jesus and arrested him. ⁴⁷ One of ·his followers [^Lthose] standing nearby pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a ·criminal [revolutionary; rebel; ^Lrobber; ^Cthe term “robber” was used by the Romans of insurrectionists]. ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened to ·make the Scriptures come true [fulfill the Scriptures].” ⁵⁰ Then ·all of Jesus’ followers [^Leveryone] ·left [deserted] him and ·ran away [fled].

⁵¹ A young man [^Cperhaps the author Mark himself], wearing only a linen ·cloth [sheet; shirt], was following Jesus, and the people also grabbed him. ⁵² But the cloth [sheet; shirt] he was wearing came off, and he ran away naked.

Jesus Before the Leaders^(I)

⁵³ The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest, where all the ·leading [^Tchief] priests, the elders, and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] were gathered. ⁵⁴ Peter followed far behind and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

⁵⁵ The ·leading [^Tchief] priests and the whole ·Jewish council [Sanhedrin; ^Cthe highest Jewish court] tried to find ·something that Jesus had done wrong [evidence/testimony against him] so they could ·kill [execute] him. But the council could find no proof of anything. ⁵⁶ Many people came and ·told false things [gave false testimony] about him, but all said different things—none of them agreed.

⁵⁷ Then some people stood up and ·lied [gave false testimony] about Jesus, saying, ⁵⁸ “We heard this man say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that people made. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by people.’” ⁵⁹ But even ·the things these people said [their testimony] did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood before them and asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? ·Don’t you have something to say about their [or What are these] ·charges [testimony] against you?” ⁶¹ But Jesus ·said nothing [was silent; Is. 53:7]; he did not answer.

The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the ·Christ [Messiah], the Son of ·the blessed God [^Lthe blessed (one)]?”

⁶² Jesus answered, “I am. And ·in the future you will see [^Lyou will see] the Son of Man sitting at the right ·side [^Lhand; see 12:36] of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds ·in the sky [of heaven; Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13–14].”

⁶³ When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes [^Ca sign of sorrow or outrage] and said, “Why do we need more witnesses? ⁶⁴ You all heard ·him say these things against God [the blasphemy]. What ·do you think [is your verdict]?”

They all said that Jesus was guilty and ·should [deserved to] die. ⁶⁵ Some of the people there began to spit at Jesus. They blindfolded him and beat him with their fists and said, “·Prophesy! [Prove you are a prophet!]” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.

Peter Denies Jesus^(J)

⁶⁶ While Peter was in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came there. ⁶⁷ She saw Peter warming himself at the fire and looked closely at him.

Then she said, “You also were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”

⁶⁸ But Peter denied it. He said, “I don’t know or understand what you are talking about.” Then Peter left and went toward the entrance of the courtyard. And the rooster crowed.^[b]

⁶⁹ The servant girl saw Peter there, and again she said to the people who were standing nearby, “This man is one of those who followed Jesus.” ⁷⁰ Again Peter ·said that it was not true [denied it].

A short time later, some people were standing near Peter saying, “Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus, because you are from Galilee, too [^CPeter’s Galilean accent gave him away; Matt. 26:73].”

⁷¹ Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”

⁷² At once, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will ·say three times that you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].” Then Peter broke down and began to cry.