Luke 22
Living Bible
22 And now the Passover celebration was drawing near—the Jewish festival when only bread made without yeast was used. 2 The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward. 6 So he began to look for an opportunity for them to arrest Jesus quietly when the crowds weren’t around.
7 Now the day of the Passover celebration arrived, when the Passover lamb was killed and eaten with the unleavened bread. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to find a place to prepare their Passover meal.
9 “Where do you want us to go?” they asked.
10 And he replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem,[a] you will see a man walking along carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house he enters, 11 and say to the man who lives there, ‘Our Teacher says for you to show us the guest room where he can eat the Passover meal with his disciples.’ 12 He will take you upstairs to a large room all ready for us. That is the place. Go ahead and prepare the meal there.”
13 They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and prepared the Passover supper.
14 Then Jesus and the others arrived, and at the proper time all sat down together at the table; 15 and he said, “I have looked forward to this hour with deep longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won’t eat it again until what it represents has occurred in the Kingdom of God.”
17 Then he took a glass of wine, and when he had given thanks for it, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”
19 Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it apart and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Eat it in remembrance of me.”
20 After supper he gave them another glass of wine, saying, “This wine is the token of God’s new agreement to save you—an agreement sealed with the blood I shall pour out to purchase back your souls.[b] 21 But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 I[c] must die. It is part of God’s plan. But, oh, the horror awaiting that man who betrays me.”
23 Then the disciples wondered among themselves which of them would ever do such a thing.
24 And they began to argue among themselves as to who would have the highest rank in the coming Kingdom.[d]
25 Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men order their slaves around, and the slaves have no choice but to like it![e] 26 But among you, the one who serves you best will be your leader. 27 Out in the world the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant. 28 Nevertheless, because you have stood true to me in these terrible days,[f] 29 and because my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I, here and now, grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in that Kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat, 32 but I have pleaded in prayer for you that your faith should not completely fail.[g] So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up the faith of your brothers.”
33 Simon said, “Lord, I am ready to go to jail with you, and even to die with you.”
34 But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Between now and tomorrow morning when the rooster crows, you will deny me three times, declaring that you don’t even know me.”
35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you were without money, duffle bag, or extra clothing, how did you get along?”
“Fine,” they replied.
36 “But now,” he said, “take a duffle bag if you have one and your money. And if you don’t have a sword, better sell your clothes and buy one! 37 For the time has come for this prophecy about me to come true: ‘He will be condemned as a criminal!’ Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.”
38 “Master,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.”
“Enough!” he said.
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, he left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray God that you will not be overcome by temptation.”[h]
41-42 He walked away, perhaps a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed this prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take away this cup of horror from me. But I want your will, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him, 44 for he was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood, with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly. 45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples—only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.
46 “Asleep!” he said. “Get up! Pray God that you will not fall when you are tempted.”
47 But even as he said this, a mob approached, led by Judas, one of his twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek in friendly greeting.[i]
48 But Jesus said, “Judas, how can you do this—betray the Messiah with a kiss?”
49 When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Master, shall we fight? We brought along the swords!” 50 And one of them slashed at the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus said, “Don’t resist anymore.” And he touched the place where the man’s ear had been and restored it. 52 Then Jesus addressed the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards and the religious leaders who headed the mob. “Am I a robber,” he asked, “that you have come armed with swords and clubs to get me? 53 Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment—the time when Satan’s power reigns supreme.”
54 So they seized him and led him to the high priest’s residence, and Peter followed at a distance. 55 The soldiers lit a fire in the courtyard and sat around it for warmth, and Peter joined them there.
56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she spoke: “This man was with Jesus!”
57 Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know the man!”
58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”
“No sir, I am not!” Peter replied.
59 About an hour later someone else flatly stated, “I know this fellow is one of Jesus’ disciples, for both are from Galilee.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And as he said the words, a rooster crowed.
61 At that moment Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered what he had said—“Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny me three times.” 62 And Peter walked out of the courtyard, crying bitterly.
63-64 Now the guards in charge of Jesus began mocking him. They blindfolded him and hit him with their fists and asked, “Who hit you that time, prophet?” 65 And they threw all sorts of other insults at him.
66 Early the next morning at daybreak the Jewish Supreme Court assembled, including the chief priests and all the top religious authorities of the nation. Jesus was led before this Council 67-68 and instructed to state whether or not he claimed to be the Messiah.
But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me or let me present my case. 69 But the time is soon coming when I, the Messiah,[j] shall be enthroned beside Almighty God.”
70 They all shouted, “Then you claim you are the Son of God?”
And he replied, “Yes, I am.”
71 “What need do we have for other witnesses?” they shouted. “For we ourselves have heard him say it.”
Footnotes
- Luke 22:10 Jerusalem, literally, “the city.”
- Luke 22:20 This wine is the token . . . to purchase back your souls, literally, “This cup of the new covenant in my blood, poured out for you.”
- Luke 22:22 I, literally, “The Son of Man.”
- Luke 22:24 in the coming Kingdom, implied.
- Luke 22:25 the slaves have no choice but to like it, literally, “they [the kings and great men] are called ‘benefactors.’”
- Luke 22:28 you have stood true to me in these terrible days, literally, “you have continued with me in my temptation.”
- Luke 22:32 not completely fail, literally, “fail not.”
- Luke 22:40 that you will not be overcome by temptation, literally, “that you enter not into temptation.”
- Luke 22:47 walked over to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek in friendly greeting, literally, “approached Jesus to kiss him.” This is still the traditional greeting among men in Eastern lands.
- Luke 22:69 the Messiah, literally, “the Son of Man.”
Luke 22
Good News Translation
The Plot against Jesus(A)
22 (B)The time was near for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover. 2 The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were afraid of the people, and so they were trying to find a way of putting Jesus to death secretly.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(C)
3 Then Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples. 4 So Judas went off and spoke with the chief priests and the officers of the Temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. 5 They were pleased and offered to pay him money. 6 Judas agreed to it and started looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them without the people knowing about it.
Jesus Prepares to Eat the Passover Meal(D)
7 The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the lambs for the Passover meal were to be killed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John with these instructions: “Go and get the Passover meal ready for us to eat.”
9 “Where do you want us to get it ready?” they asked him.
10 He answered, “As you go into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house: ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the room where my disciples and I will eat the Passover meal?’ 12 He will show you a large furnished room upstairs, where you will get everything ready.”
13 They went off and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
The Lord's Supper(E)
14 When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! 16 For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”
17 Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”
19 Then he took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” 20 (F)In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.[a]
21 (G)“But, look! The one who betrays me is here at the table with me! 22 The Son of Man will die as God has decided, but how terrible for that man who betrays him!”
23 Then they began to ask among themselves which one of them it could be who was going to do this.
The Argument about Greatness
24 (H)An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers claim the title ‘Friends of the People.’ 26 (I)But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. 27 (J)Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves.
28 “You have stayed with me all through my trials; 29 and just as my Father has given me the right to rule, so I will give you the same right. 30 (K)You will eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial(L)
31 “Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers.”
33 Peter answered, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you and to die with you!”
34 “I tell you, Peter,” Jesus said, “the rooster will not crow tonight until you have said three times that you do not know me.”
Purse, Bag, and Sword
35 (M)Then Jesus asked his disciples, “When I sent you out that time without purse, bag, or shoes, did you lack anything?”
“Not a thing,” they answered.
36 “But now,” Jesus said, “whoever has a purse or a bag must take it; and whoever does not have a sword must sell his coat and buy one. 37 (N)For I tell you that the scripture which says, ‘He shared the fate of criminals,’ must come true about me, because what was written about me is coming true.”
38 The disciples said, “Look! Here are two swords, Lord!”
“That is enough!”[b] he replied.
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives(O)
39 Jesus left the city and went, as he usually did, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples went with him. 40 When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
41 Then he went off from them about the distance of a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed. 42 “Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]
45 Rising from his prayer, he went back to the disciples and found them asleep, worn out by their grief. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
The Arrest of Jesus(P)
47 Jesus was still speaking when a crowd arrived, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. He came up to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?”
49 When the disciples who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Shall we use our swords, Lord?” 50 And one of them struck the High Priest's slave and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” He touched the man's ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and the officers of the Temple guard and the elders who had come there to get him, “Did you have to come with swords and clubs, as though I were an outlaw? 53 (Q)I was with you in the Temple every day, and you did not try to arrest me. But this is your hour to act, when the power of darkness rules.”
Peter Denies Jesus(R)
54 They arrested Jesus and took him away into the house of the High Priest; and Peter followed at a distance. 55 A fire had been lit in the center of the courtyard, and Peter joined those who were sitting around it. 56 When one of the servant women saw him sitting there at the fire, she looked straight at him and said, “This man too was with Jesus!”
57 But Peter denied it, “Woman, I don't even know him!”
58 After a little while a man noticed Peter and said, “You are one of them, too!”
But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”
59 And about an hour later another man insisted strongly, “There isn't any doubt that this man was with Jesus, because he also is a Galilean!”
60 But Peter answered, “Man, I don't know what you are talking about!”
At once, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned around and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered that the Lord had said to him, “Before the rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.” 62 Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Jesus Is Mocked and Beaten(S)
63 The men who were guarding Jesus made fun of him and beat him. 64 They blindfolded him and asked him, “Who hit you? Guess!” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.
Jesus before the Council(T)
66 When day came, the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law met together, and Jesus was brought before the Council. 67 “Tell us,” they said, “are you the Messiah?”
He answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me; 68 and if I ask you a question, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right side of Almighty God.”
70 They all said, “Are you, then, the Son of God?”
He answered them, “You say that I am.”
71 And they said, “We don't need any witnesses! We ourselves have heard what he said!”
Footnotes
- Luke 22:20 Some manuscripts do not have the words of Jesus after This is my body in verse 19, and all of verse 20.
- Luke 22:38 That is enough; or Enough of this.
- Luke 22:44 Some manuscripts do not have verses 43-44.
Luke 22
New King James Version
The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
22 Now (B)the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And (C)the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 (D)Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the (E)twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and (F)agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to (G)betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover
7 (H)Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be [a]killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and (I)found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
14 (J)When the hour had come, He sat down, and the [b]twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it (K)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for (L)I say to you, [c]I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 (M)And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My (N)body which is given for you; (O)do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, (P)“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. 21 (Q)But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. 22 (R)And truly the Son of Man goes (S)as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23 (T)Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
The Disciples Argue About Greatness
24 (U)Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25 (V)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26 (W)But not so among you; on the contrary, (X)he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27 (Y)For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet (Z)I am among you as the One who serves.
28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in (AA)My trials. 29 And (AB)I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that (AC)you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, (AD)and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AE)
31 [d]And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, (AF)Satan has asked for you, that he may (AG)sift you as wheat. 32 But (AH)I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, (AI)strengthen your brethren.”
33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
34 (AJ)Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”
Supplies for the Road
35 (AK)And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. 37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be [e]accomplished in Me: (AL)‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
The Prayer in the Garden(AM)
39 (AN)Coming out, (AO)He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 (AP)When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
41 (AQ)And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless (AR)not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 [f]Then (AS)an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 (AT)And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, “Why (AU)do you sleep? Rise and (AV)pray, lest you enter into temptation.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane(AW)
47 And while He was still speaking, (AX)behold, a multitude; and he who was called (AY)Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a (AZ)kiss?”
49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And (BA)one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
52 (BB)Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a (BC)robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you daily in the (BD)temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your (BE)hour, and the power of darkness.”
Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly(BF)
54 (BG)Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. (BH)But Peter followed at a distance. 55 (BI)Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied [g]Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 (BJ)And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 (BK)Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a (BL)Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, [h]the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then (BM)Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, (BN)“Before the rooster [i]crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Jesus Mocked and Beaten(BO)
63 (BP)Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and (BQ)beat Him. 64 [j]And having blindfolded Him, they (BR)struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?” 65 And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin(BS)
66 (BT)As soon as it was day, (BU)the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, 67 (BV)“If You are the Christ, tell us.”
But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will (BW)by no means believe. 68 And if I [k]also ask you, you will by no means answer [l]Me or let Me go. 69 (BX)Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?”
So He said to them, (BY)“You rightly say that I am.”
71 (BZ)And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
Footnotes
- Luke 22:7 Sacrificed
- Luke 22:14 NU omits twelve
- Luke 22:18 NU adds from now on
- Luke 22:31 NU omits And the Lord said
- Luke 22:37 fulfilled
- Luke 22:43 NU brackets vv. 43 and 44 as not in the original text.
- Luke 22:57 NU it
- Luke 22:60 NU, M a rooster
- Luke 22:61 NU adds today
- Luke 22:64 NU And having blindfolded Him, they asked Him
- Luke 22:68 NU omits also
- Luke 22:68 NU omits the rest of v. 68.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
