Mark 14
Easy-to-Read Version
The Jewish Leaders Plan to Kill Jesus(A)
14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a way to arrest Jesus without the people seeing it. Then they could kill him. 2 They said, “But we cannot arrest Jesus during the festival. We don’t want the people to be angry and cause a riot.”
A Woman Does Something Special(B)
3 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. While he was eating there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume made of pure nard. She opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 Some of the followers there saw this. They were upset and complained to each other. They said, “Why waste that perfume? 5 It was worth a full year’s pay.[a] It could have been sold and the money given to those who are poor.” And they told the woman what a bad thing she had done.
6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you giving her such trouble? She did a very good thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 This woman did the only thing she could do for me. She poured perfume on my body before I die to prepare it for burial. 9 The Good News will be told to people all over the world. And I can assure you that everywhere the Good News is told, the story of what this woman did will also be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Agrees to Help Jesus’ Enemies(C)
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to talk to the leading priests about handing Jesus over to them. 11 They were very happy about this, and they promised to pay him. So he waited for the best time to hand Jesus over to them.
The Passover Meal(D)
12 It was now the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread—the day the lambs were killed for the Passover. Jesus’ followers came to him and said, “We will go and prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?”
13 Jesus sent two of his followers into the city. He said to them, “Go into the city. You will see a man carrying a jar of water. He will come to you. Follow him. 14 He will go into a house. Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks that you show us the room where he and his followers can eat the Passover meal.’ 15 The owner will show you a large room upstairs that is ready for us. Prepare the meal for us there.”
16 So the followers left and went into the city. Everything happened the way Jesus said. So the followers prepared the Passover meal.
17 In the evening Jesus went to that house with the twelve apostles. 18 While they were all at the table eating, he said, “Believe me when I say that one of you will hand me over to my enemies—one of you eating with me now.”
19 The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one said to Jesus, “Surely I am not the one!”
20 Jesus answered, “It is one of you twelve—the one who is dipping his bread in the same bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will suffer what the Scriptures say will happen to him. But it will be very bad for the one who hands over the Son of Man to be killed. 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 it. He broke off some pieces, gave them to his followers and said, “Take and eat this bread. It is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup of wine, thanked God for it, and gave it to them. They all drank from the cup. 24 Then he said, “This wine is my blood, which will be poured out for many to begin the new agreement from God to his people. 25 I want you to know, I will not drink this wine again until that day when I drink it in God’s kingdom and the wine is new.”
26 They all sang a song and then went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Says His Followers Will Leave Him(F)
27 Then Jesus told the followers, “You will all lose your faith. The Scriptures say,
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will run away.’ (G)
28 But after I am killed, I will rise from death. Then I will go to Galilee. I will be there before you come.”
29 Peter said, “All the other followers may lose their faith. But my faith will never be shaken.”
30 Jesus answered, “The truth is, tonight you will say you don’t know me. You will say it three times before the rooster crows twice.”
31 But Peter strongly protested, “I will never say I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone(H)
32 Jesus and his followers went to a place named Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 But he told Peter, James, and John to come with him. He began to be very distressed and troubled, 34 and he said to them, “My heart is so heavy with grief, I feel as if I am dying. Wait here and stay awake.”
35 Jesus went on a little farther away from them, fell to the ground, and prayed. He asked that, if possible, he would not have this time of suffering. 36 He said, “ Abba,[c] Father! You can do all things. Don’t make me drink from this cup.[d] But do what you want, not what I want.”
37 Then he went back to his followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, why are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake with me for one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”
39 Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he went back to the followers and again found them sleeping. They could not stay awake. They did not know what they should say to him.
41 After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his followers. He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? That’s enough! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the control of sinful men. 42 Stand up! We must go. Here comes the man who is handing me over to them.”
Jesus Is Arrested(I)
43 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, came there. He had a big crowd of people with him, all carrying swords and clubs. They had been sent from the leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the older Jewish leaders.
44 Judas[e] planned to do something to show them which one was Jesus. He said, “The one I kiss will be Jesus. Arrest him and guard him while you lead him away.” 45 So Judas went over to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” Then he kissed him. 46 The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 One of the followers standing near Jesus grabbed his sword and pulled it out. He swung it at the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus said, “Why do you come to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal? 49 Every day I was with you teaching in the Temple area. You did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened to show the full meaning of what the Scriptures said.” 50 Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
51 One of those following Jesus was a young man wearing only a linen cloth. When the people tried to grab him, 52 he left the cloth in their hands and ran away naked.
Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders(J)
53 Those who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest. All the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law were gathered there. 54 Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest’s house. He went into the yard and sat there with the guards, warming himself by their fire.
55 The leading priests and the whole high council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof that would allow them to kill Jesus. 56 Many people came and told lies against Jesus, but they all said different things. None of them agreed.
57 Then some others stood up and told more lies against Jesus. They said, 58 “We heard this man[f] say, ‘I will destroy this Temple built by human hands. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by human hands.’” 59 But also what these people said did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before everyone and said to Jesus, “These people said things against you. Do you have something to say about their charges? Are they telling the truth?” 61 But Jesus said nothing to answer him.
The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?”
62 Jesus answered, “Yes, I am the Son of God. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of God All-Powerful. And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes in anger. He said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! 64 You all heard these insults to God. What do you think?”
Everyone agreed that Jesus was guilty and must be killed. 65 Some of the people there spit at him. They covered his eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, “Be a prophet[g] and tell us who hit you!” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.
Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus(K)
66 While Peter was still in the yard, a servant girl of the high priest came there. 67 She saw him warming himself by the fire. She looked closely at him and said, “You were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”
68 But Peter said this was not true. “That makes no sense,” he said. “I don’t know what you are talking about!” Then he left and went to the entrance of the yard, and a rooster crowed.[h]
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she began saying again to the people standing around, “This man is one of them.” 70 Again Peter said it was not true.
A short time later, the people standing there said, “We know you are one of them, because you are from Galilee.”
71 Then Peter began to curse. He said, “I swear to God, I don’t know this man you are talking about!”
72 As soon as Peter said this, the rooster crowed the second time. Then he remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter began to cry.
Footnotes
- Mark 14:5 a full year’s pay Literally, “300 denarii.” One Roman denarius, a silver coin, was the average pay for one day’s work.
- Mark 14:7 You will … with you See Deut. 15:11.
- Mark 14:36 Abba An Aramaic word that was used by Jewish children as a name for their fathers.
- Mark 14:36 cup A symbol of suffering. Jesus used the idea of drinking from a cup to mean accepting the suffering he would face in the terrible events that were soon to come.
- Mark 14:44 Judas Literally, “the one who handed him over.”
- Mark 14:58 this man That is, Jesus. His enemies avoided saying his name.
- Mark 14:65 prophet A prophet often knows things that are hidden to other people.
- Mark 14:68 Some Greek copies do not have “and a rooster crowed.”
Mark 14
Amplified Bible
Death Plot and the Anointing in Bethany
14 It was now two days before the Passover and [the festival of] Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were searching for a deceitful way to arrest Jesus and kill Him;(A) 2 but they were saying, “Not during the festival, for the people might riot.”
3 While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of [a]Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a [b]woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure [c]nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. 4 But there were [d]some who were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer’s wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why are you bothering her and causing trouble? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me.(B) 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever the good news [regarding salvation] is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve [disciples], went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.(C) 11 When they heard this they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus.
The Last Passover
12 On the first day [of the festival] of [e]Unleavened Bread, when [as was customary] they sacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?”(D) 13 And He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a [f]man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him; 14 and say to the [g]owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15 He will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready [with carpets and dining couches]; prepare [the supper] for us there.” 16 The disciples left and went to the city and found everything just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 When it was evening, He came with the twelve [disciples].(E) 18 While they were reclining at the table, Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.”(F) 19 They began to be grieved and deeply distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 And He replied, “It is one of the twelve [disciples], one who is dipping bread in the bowl with Me. 21 For the Son of Man goes [to the cross] just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
The Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread and [h]blessed it [giving thanks and praise], and He broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take it. This is My body.”(G) 23 And when He had taken a cup [of wine] and [i]given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.(H) 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the [new] covenant, [My blood] which is being poured out for many [for the forgiveness of sins]. 25 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 After they had sung a [j]hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away [and be ashamed and be afraid to be associated with Me as disciples], because it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’(I) 28 But after I have been raised [from the dead], I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all fall away [and desert You, ashamed and afraid of being associated with You], yet I will not [do so]!” 30 Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny [that you even know] Me three times.”(J) 31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing as well.
Jesus in Gethsemane
32 Then they went to a place called Gethsemane; and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit down here until I have prayed.”(K) 33 He took Peter and James and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled [extremely anguished at the prospect of what was to come]. 34 And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved and overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35 After going a little farther, He fell to the ground [distressed by the weight of His spiritual burden] and began to pray that if it were possible [in the Father’s will], the hour [of suffering and death for the sins of mankind] might pass from Him. 36 He was saying, “[k]Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; take this cup [of judgment] away from Me; but not what I will, but what You will.” 37 And He came back and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Were you unable to keep watch for one hour? 38 Keep [actively] watching and praying so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the [l]body is weak.” 39 He went away again and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again He came back and found them sleeping, because their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know how to answer Him. 41 He came back a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough [of that]! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is near!”
Betrayal and Arrest
43 And at once, while He was still speaking, Judas [Iscariot], one of the twelve [disciples], came up, and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders [of the Sanhedrin].(L) 44 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away safely [under guard].” 45 When Judas came, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi (Master)!” and he [m]kissed Him [forcefully]. 46 They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47 But one of the bystanders [Simon Peter] drew his sword and struck [Malchus] the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.(M) 48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the [courts and porches of the] temple, and you did not seize Me; but this has happened so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” 50 Then all of His disciples abandoned Him and fled.
51 A young [n]man was following Him, wearing [only] a linen sheet over his naked body; and some men seized him. 52 But pulling free of the linen sheet, he escaped [from them] naked.
Jesus before His Accusers
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) gathered together.(N) 54 Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers [guards and servants] and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the entire Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus [which they could use] to have Him [condemned and] executed, but they were not finding any. 56 For many [people] were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimonies were not consistent. 57 Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple (sanctuary) that was made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’”(O) 59 Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 60 The high priest stood up and came forward and asked Jesus, “Have You no answer to give [in response] to what these men are testifying against You?” 61 But Jesus kept silent and gave no answer at all. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the [o]Blessed One?” 62 Jesus said, “I am; and you will [all] see the Son of Man seated [with authority] at the right hand of Power (the Father), and coming with the clouds of heaven.”(P) 63 Then [p]tearing his robe [to express his indignation], the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses?(Q) 64 You have heard the blasphemy [that is, His claim to be the Son of God]. What is your decision?” And they all condemned Him to be [guilty and] deserving of death.(R) 65 And some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy [by telling us who hit you]!” Then the officers took custody of Him and struck him in the face.
Peter’s Denials
66 While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came,(S) 67 and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You were with Jesus the Nazarene, too.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Then he went out [of the courtyard] to the porch, [q][and a rooster crowed.] 69 The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to tell the bystanders, “This [man] is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. After a little while, the bystanders again said to Peter, “You are in fact one of them, for [it is clear from your accent, that] you are a Galilean, too.” 71 But he began to [r]invoke a curse [on himself] and to swear [an oath], “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Immediately a rooster crowed the second time. And Peter remembered what Jesus said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And thinking of this, he began weeping [in anguish].
Footnotes
- Mark 14:3 See note Matt 26:6.
- Mark 14:3 John the Apostle identifies this woman as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Matt 26:7; John 12:3). Jesus was anointed in a similar way by an unnamed woman when he was in Galilee dining at the home of a Pharisee (Luke 7:36-39).
- Mark 14:3 See note Matt 26:7.
- Mark 14:4 Judas may have been the instigator of this complaint (John 12:4-6).
- Mark 14:12 This remembrance lasted eight days. The Passover lambs were selected on the 10th of Nisan (March/April) and sacrificed on the 14th of Nisan (the first day of the feast). The Passover meal was eaten that same night (the 15th of Nisan). Passover was immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread (15-21 Nisan). The terms “Passover” and “The Feast of Unleavened Bread” were used interchangeably.
- Mark 14:13 Water jars were usually carried by women, so it would have been easy to notice a manservant performing this task.
- Mark 14:14 Tradition identifies the owner of the house as Mark’s father.
- Mark 14:22 See note Matt 26:26.
- Mark 14:23 See note Matt 26:27.
- Mark 14:26 The Hallel psalms (113-118) were sung at Passover.
- Mark 14:36 An Aramaic word used by young children when addressing their fathers, but not used by Jews in prayer because of the word’s implied familiarity. Jesus’ use of the word emphasized his Father-Son relationship with God.
- Mark 14:38 Lit flesh.
- Mark 14:45 A kiss on either the hand or cheek was a common gesture of greeting and reverence given to a Rabbi by his disciples. The purpose of Judas’ exaggerated kiss would be to help the soldiers identify Jesus.
- Mark 14:51 Perhaps this was Mark, the writer of this gospel. If the Passover meal had been held in the house of Mark’s father, Judas and the crowd may have looked for Jesus there before going to Gethsemane. Mark, being awakened by the crowd, could have followed them to the garden wearing only what he slept in.
- Mark 14:61 In the Talmud, God is frequently referred to as “the Holy One, Blessed be He.”
- Mark 14:63 This was a response required by Jewish law for judges who had heard blasphemy. However, OT law forbade the high priest to tear his clothing (Lev 10:6; 21:10).
- Mark 14:68 Later mss add this clause.
- Mark 14:71 In Judaism such a curse took the form of “May I always be afflicted if I am not being truthful,” or “May I bury my son if...,” or “May I never see the comfort of Zion and Jerusalem if...,” etc. (as found in the Talmud).
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
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