Judas Agrees to Hand Jesus Over

22 The Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was near. ² The chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus. They were afraid of the people. ³ Then Satan entered Judas, who was called Iscariot. Judas was one of the 12 disciples. ⁴ He went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard. He talked with them about how he could hand Jesus over to them. ⁵ They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶ Judas accepted their offer. He watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them. He wanted to do it when no crowd was around.

The Last Supper

⁷ Then the day of Unleavened Bread came. That was the time the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ Jesus sent Peter and John on ahead. “Go,” he told them. “Prepare for us to eat the Passover meal.”

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

¹⁰ Jesus replied, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters. ¹¹ Then say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is the guest room? Where can I eat the Passover meal with my disciples?” ’ ¹² He will show you a large upstairs room with furniture already in it. Prepare for us to eat there.”

¹³ Peter and John left. They found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles took their places at the table. ¹⁵ He said to them, “I have really looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you. I wanted to do this before I suffer. ¹⁶ I tell you, I will not eat the Passover meal again until it is celebrated in God’s kingdom.”

¹⁷ After Jesus took the cup, he gave thanks. He said, “Take this cup and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸ I tell you, I will not drink wine with you again until God’s kingdom comes.”

¹⁹ Then Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to them and said, “This is my body. It is given for you. Every time you eat it, do this in memory of me.”

²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup. He said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. It is poured out for you. ²¹ But someone here is going to hand me over to my enemies. His hand is with mine on the table. ²² The Son of Man will go to his death, just as God has already decided. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands him over!” ²³ The apostles began to ask one another about this. They wondered which one of them would do it.

²⁴ They also started to argue. They disagreed about which of them was thought to be the most important person. ²⁵ Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles hold power over their people. And those who order them around call themselves Protectors. ²⁶ But you must not be like that. Instead, the most important among you should be like the youngest. The one who rules should be like the one who serves. ²⁷ Who is more important? Is it the one at the table, or the one who serves? Isn’t it the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸ You have stood by me during my troubles. ²⁹ And I give you a kingdom, just as my Father gave me a kingdom. ³⁰ Then you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

³¹ “Simon, Simon! Satan has asked to sift all of you disciples like wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, Simon. I have prayed that your faith will not fail. When you have turned back, help your brothers to be strong.”

³³ But Simon replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, you will say three times that you don’t know me. And you will do it before the rooster crows today.”

³⁵ Then Jesus asked the disciples, “Did you need anything when I sent you without a purse, bag or sandals?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶ He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it. And also take a bag. If you don’t have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. ³⁷ It is written, ‘He was counted among those who had committed crimes.’ (Isaiah 53:12) I tell you that what is written about me must come true. Yes, it is already coming true.”

³⁸ The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“Two swords are enough!” he replied.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives. His disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ When they reached the place, Jesus spoke. “Pray that you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted,” he said to them. ⁴¹ Then he went a short distance away from them. There he got down on his knees and prayed. ⁴² He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup of suffering away from me. But do what you want, not what I want.” ⁴³ An angel from heaven appeared to Jesus and gave him strength. ⁴⁴ Because he was very sad and troubled, he prayed even harder. His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

⁴⁵ After that, he got up from prayer and went back to the disciples. He found them sleeping. They were worn out because they were very sad. ⁴⁶ “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up! Pray that you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted.”

Jesus Is Arrested

⁴⁷ While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd came up. The man named Judas was leading them. He was one of the 12 disciples. Judas approached Jesus to kiss him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you handing over the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹ Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen. So they said, “Lord, should we use our swords against them?” ⁵⁰ One of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

⁵¹ But Jesus answered, “Stop this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

⁵² Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders. They had all come for him. “Am I leading a band of armed men against you?” he asked. “Do you have to come with swords and clubs? ⁵³ Every day I was with you in the temple courtyard. And you didn’t lay a hand on me. But this is your hour. This is when darkness rules.”

Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus

⁵⁴ Then the men arrested Jesus and led him away. They took him into the high priest’s house. Peter followed from far away. ⁵⁵ Some people there started a fire in the middle of the courtyard. Then they sat down together. Peter sat down with them. ⁵⁶ A female servant saw him sitting there in the firelight. She looked closely at him. Then she said, “This man was with Jesus.”

⁵⁷ But Peter said he had not been with him. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

⁵⁸ A little later someone else saw Peter. “You also are one of them,” he said.

“No,” Peter replied. “I’m not!”

⁵⁹ About an hour later, another person spoke up. “This fellow must have been with Jesus,” he said. “He is from Galilee.”

⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked right at Peter. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had spoken to him. “The rooster will crow today,” Jesus had said. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” ⁶² Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.

The Guards Make Fun of Jesus

⁶³ There were men guarding Jesus. They began laughing at him and beating him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him. They said, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” ⁶⁵ They also said many other things to make fun of him.

Jesus Is Brought to Pilate and Herod

⁶⁶ At dawn the elders of the people met together. These included the chief priests and the teachers of the law. Jesus was led to them. ⁶⁷ “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me. ⁶⁸ And if I asked you, you would not answer. ⁶⁹ But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

⁷⁰ They all asked, “Are you the Son of God then?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

⁷¹ Then they said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? We have heard it from his own lips.”

23 Then the whole group got up and led Jesus off to Pilate. ² They began to bring charges against Jesus. They said, “We have found this man misleading our people. He is against paying taxes to Caesar. And he claims to be Messiah, a king.”

³ So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

⁴ Then Pilate spoke to the chief priests and the crowd. He announced, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

⁵ But they kept it up. They said, “His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

⁶ When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was from Galilee. ⁷ He learned that Jesus was from Herod’s area of authority. So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. At that time Herod was also in Jerusalem.

⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very pleased. He had been wanting to see Jesus for a long time. He had heard much about him. He hoped to see Jesus perform a sign of some kind. ⁹ Herod asked him many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there. With loud shouts they brought charges against him. ¹¹ Herod and his soldiers laughed at him and made fun of him. They dressed him in a beautiful robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate. ¹² That day Herod and Pilate became friends. Before this time they had been enemies.

¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people. ¹⁴ He said to them, “You brought me this man. You said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you. I have found no basis for your charges against him. ¹⁵ Herod hasn’t either. So he sent Jesus back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing that is worthy of death. ^16-17 So I will just have him whipped and let him go.”

¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill this man! But let Barabbas go!” ¹⁹ Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder.

²⁰ Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. So he made an appeal to the crowd again. ²¹ But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²² Pilate spoke to them for the third time. “Why?” he asked. “What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go.”

²³ But with loud shouts they kept calling for Jesus to be crucified. The people’s shouts won out. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. ²⁵ He set free the man they asked for. The man had been thrown in prison for murder and for fighting against the authorities. Pilate handed Jesus over to them so they could carry out their plans.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

²⁶ As the soldiers led Jesus away, they took hold of Simon. Simon was from Cyrene. He was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders. Then they made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed Jesus. Some were women whose hearts were filled with sorrow. They cried loudly because of him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ The time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the women who can’t have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!’ ³⁰ It is written,

³¹ People do these things when trees are green. So what will happen when trees are dry?”

³² Two other men were also led out with Jesus to be killed. Both of them had broken the law. ³³ The soldiers brought them to the place called the Skull. There they nailed Jesus to the cross. He hung between the two criminals. One was on his right and one was on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots.

³⁵ The people stood there watching. The rulers even made fun of Jesus. They said, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

³⁶ The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him. They offered him wine vinegar. ³⁷ They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

³⁸ A written sign had been placed above him. It read,

This is the King of the Jews.

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself! Save us!”

⁴⁰ But the other criminal scolded him. “Don’t you have any respect for God?” he said. “Remember, you are under the same sentence of death. ⁴¹ We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus Dies

⁴⁴ It was now about noon. Then darkness covered the whole land until three o’clock. ⁴⁵ The sun had stopped shining. The temple curtain was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my life.” After he said this, he took his last breath.

⁴⁷ The Roman commander saw what had happened. He praised God and said, “Jesus was surely a man who did what was right.” ⁴⁸ The people had gathered to watch this sight. When they saw what happened, they felt very sad. Then they went away. ⁴⁹ But all those who knew Jesus stood not very far away, watching these things. They included the women who had followed him from Galilee.

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁰ A man named Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. He was a good and honest man. ⁵¹ Joseph had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He himself was waiting for God’s kingdom. ⁵² Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Joseph took it down and wrapped it in linen cloth. Then he placed it in a tomb cut in the rock. No one had ever been buried there. ⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day. The Sabbath day was about to begin.

⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home. There they prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.

Jesus Rises From the Dead

24 It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from it. ³ When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ They were wondering about this. Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them. ⁵ The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. Then the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how he told you he would rise. It was while he was still with you in Galilee. ⁷ He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise from the dead.’ ” ⁸ Then the women remembered Jesus’ words.

⁹ They came back from the tomb. They told all these things to the 11 apostles and to all the others. ¹⁰ Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles. ¹¹ But the apostles did not believe the women. Their words didn’t make any sense to them. ¹² But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked about those things, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ Jesus asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?”

They stood still, and their faces were sad. ¹⁸ One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, “Are you the only person visiting Jerusalem who doesn’t know? Don’t you know about the things that have happened there in the last few days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet. He was powerful in what he said and did in the sight of God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed him to a cross. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened. ²² Some of our women amazed us too. Early this morning they went to the tomb. ²³ But they didn’t find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”

²⁵ Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said! ²⁶ Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and then receive his glory?” ²⁷ Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.

²⁸ They approached the village where they were going. Jesus kept walking as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they tried hard to keep him from leaving. They said, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ He joined them at the table. Then he took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But then he disappeared from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “He explained to us what the Scriptures meant. Weren’t we excited as he talked with us on the road?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the 11 disciples and those with them. They were all gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ The disciples were still talking about this when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them. He said, “May you have peace!”

³⁷ They were surprised and terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸ Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do you have doubts in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do.”

⁴⁰ After he said that, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ But they still did not believe it. They were amazed and filled with joy. So Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of cooked fish. ⁴³ He took it and ate it in front of them.

⁴⁴ Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come true.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written. The Messiah will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. ⁴⁷ His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You have seen these things with your own eyes. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised. But for now, stay in the city. Stay there until you have received power from heaven.”

Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven

⁵⁰ Jesus led his disciples out to the area near Bethany. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them. He was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshiped him. With great joy, they returned to Jerusalem. ⁵³ Every day they went to the temple, praising God.