The Free Offer of Mercy

^7 (A)Now the first day of Unleavened Bread came, on which ^(B)the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ And so Jesus sent ^(C)Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” ⁹ They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” ¹⁰ And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house that he enters. ¹¹ And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ ¹² And he will show you a large, furnished upstairs room; prepare it there.” ¹³ And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Lord’s Supper

^14 (D)When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and ^(E)the apostles with Him. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I say to you, I shall not eat it again ^(F)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ^17 (G)And when He had taken a cup and ^(H)given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; ¹⁸ for ^(I)I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ And when He had taken some bread and ^(J)given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is ^(K)poured out for you, is the ^(L)new covenant in My blood. ^21 (M)But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with ^[a]Mine on the table. ²² For indeed, the Son of Man is going ^(N)as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” ²³ And they began to debate among themselves which one of them it was who was going to do this.

Who Is Greatest

²⁴ And ^(O)a dispute also developed among them as to which one of them was regarded as being the greatest. ^25 (P)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶ But it is not this way for you; ^(Q)rather, the one who is the greatest among you must become like ^(R)the youngest, and the leader like the servant. ²⁷ For ^(S)who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But ^(T)I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸ “You are the ones who have stood by Me in My ^(U)trials; ²⁹ and just as My Father has granted Me a ^(V)kingdom, I grant you ³⁰ that you may ^(W)eat and drink at My table in My ^(X)kingdom, and ^(Y)you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, ^(Z)Satan has ^[b]demanded to ^(AA)sift you men like wheat; ³² but I ^(AB)have prayed for ^[c]you, that ^[d]your faith will not fail; and ^[e]you, when you have ^[f]turned back, ^(AC)strengthen your brothers.” ^33 (AD)But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!” ³⁴ But He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵ And He said to them, “^(AE)When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “But now, ^[g]whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and ^[h]whoever has no sword is to sell his ^[i]cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘^(AF)And He was counted with wrongdoers’; for ^(AG)that which refers to Me has its ^[j]fulfillment.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two ^(AH)swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”