The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,^(A) he told his disciples, ² “You know^[a] that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”^(B)

³ Then the chief priests^[b] and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas,^{(C) 4} and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill him.^{(D) 5} “Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon^(E) the leper,^{[c] 7} a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table. ⁸ When the disciples^(F) saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for me. ¹¹ You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.^{(G) 12} By pouring this perfume on my body, she has prepared me for burial. ¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel^(H) is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

¹⁴ Then^(I) one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests^{(J) 15} and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him.^{(K) 16} And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.

Betrayal at the Passover

¹⁷ On the first day of Unleavened Bread^(L) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹⁸ “Go into the city to a certain man,” he said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place^[d] with my disciples.’”^{(M) 19} So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

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.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22 The^(A) Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(B) which is called Passover,^(C) was approaching. ² The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death,^(D) because they were afraid of the people.^(E)

³ Then^(F) Satan entered Judas,^(G) called Iscariot,^(H) who was numbered among the Twelve. ⁴ He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police^(I) how he could hand him over^(J) to them. ⁵ They were glad and agreed to give him silver.^{[a] 6} So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.

Preparation for Passover

⁷ Then^(K) the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.^{(L) 8} Jesus sent Peter and John,^(M) saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹ “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.

¹⁰ “Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. ¹¹ Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ ¹² Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs.^(N) Make the preparations there.”

¹³ So they went and found it just as he had told them,^(O) and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father.^(A) Having loved his own who were in the world,^(B) he loved them to the end.

² Now when it was time for supper, the devil^(C) had already put it into the heart of Judas,^(D) Simon Iscariot’s son,^[a] to betray^(E) him. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands,^(F) that he had come from God,^(G) and that he was going back to God.^{(H) 4} So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing,^(I) took a towel, and tied it around himself.^{(J) 5} Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter,^(K) who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”^(L)

⁸ “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

¹⁰ “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

The Meaning of Foot Washing

¹² When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. ¹⁴ So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.^{(M) 15} For I have given you an example,^(N) that you also should do just as I have done for you.

¹⁶ “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master,^[b](O) and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.^(P)

¹⁸ “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.^(Q) But the Scripture^(R) must be fulfilled: ^(S) The one who eats my bread^[c] has raised his heel against me.^{[d](T) 19} I am telling you now before it happens,^(U) so that when it does happen you will believe^(V) that I am he.^{(W) 20} Truly I tell you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives^(X) me receives him who sent me.”