Matthew 26
New King James Version
The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
26 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 (B)“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3 (C)Then the chief priests, [a]the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and (D)plotted to take Jesus by [b]trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the (E)people.”
The Anointing at Bethany(F)
6 And when Jesus was in (G)Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 (H)But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 (I)For you have the poor with you always, but (J)Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My (K)burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus(L)
14 (M)Then one of the twelve, called (N)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, (O)“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples(P)
17 (Q)Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
18 And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, (R)“My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
20 (S)When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will (T)betray Me.”
22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said, (U)“He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just (V)as it is written of Him, but (W)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! (X)It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper(Y)
26 (Z)And as they were eating, (AA)Jesus took bread, [c]blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; (AB)this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, (AC)“Drink from it, all of you. 28 For (AD)this is My blood (AE)of the [d]new covenant, which is shed (AF)for many for the [e]remission of sins. 29 But (AG)I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on (AH)until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 (AI)And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(AJ)
31 Then Jesus said to them, (AK)“All of you will (AL)be [f]made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
(AM)‘I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised, (AN)I will go before you to Galilee.”
33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are [g]made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
34 Jesus said to him, (AO)“Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples.
The Prayer in the Garden(AP)
36 (AQ)Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and (AR)the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, (AS)“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and (AT)prayed, saying, (AU)“O My Father, if it is possible, (AV)let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, (AW)not as I will, but as You will.”
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 (AX)Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. (AY)The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, [h]if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour [i]is at hand, and the Son of Man is being (AZ)betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane(BA)
47 And (BB)while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” (BC)and kissed Him.
50 But Jesus said to him, (BD)“Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51 And suddenly, (BE)one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, (BF)for all who take the sword will [j]perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with (BG)more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, (BH)that it must happen thus?”
55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the (BI)Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then (BJ)all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin(BK)
57 (BL)And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But (BM)Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, [k]the elders, and all the council sought (BN)false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 [l]but found none. Even though (BO)many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last (BP)two [m]false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, (BQ)‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
62 (BR)And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But (BS)Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, (BT)“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, (BU)hereafter you will see the Son of Man (BV)sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 (BW)Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His (BX)blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”
They answered and said, (BY)“He is deserving of death.”
67 (BZ)Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and (CA)others struck Him with [n]the palms of their hands, 68 saying, (CB)“Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly(CC)
69 (CD)Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your (CE)speech betrays you.”
74 Then (CF)he began to [o]curse and [p]swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, (CG)“Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:3 NU omits the scribes
- Matthew 26:4 deception
- Matthew 26:26 M gave thanks for
- Matthew 26:28 NU omits new
- Matthew 26:28 forgiveness
- Matthew 26:31 caused to take offense at Me
- Matthew 26:33 caused to take offense at You
- Matthew 26:42 NU if this may not pass away unless
- Matthew 26:45 has drawn near
- Matthew 26:52 M die
- Matthew 26:59 NU omits the elders
- Matthew 26:60 NU but found none, even though many false witnesses came forward.
- Matthew 26:60 NU omits false witnesses
- Matthew 26:67 Or rods,
- Matthew 26:74 call down curses
- Matthew 26:74 Swear oaths
Matthew 26
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Plot to Kill Jesus
26 When Jesus had finished saying all this,(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 palace of the high priest, who was called 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) a man who had a serious skin disease, 7 a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. 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 But Jesus, aware of this, 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 fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. 13 I assure you: Wherever this gospel(H) is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman 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 30 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 prepare the Passover so You may eat it?”
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[c] with My disciples.’”(M) 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. 20 When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.”(N)
22 Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl—he will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him,(O) but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”(P)
“You have said it,” He told him.
The First Lord’s Supper
26 As they were eating,(Q) Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples,(R) and said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.”(S) 27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood that establishes the covenant;[d] it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.(T) 29 But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way[e] in My Father’s kingdom(U) with you.” 30 After singing psalms,[f] they went out to the Mount of Olives.(V)
Peter’s Denial Predicted
31 Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away[g] because of Me, for it is written:
32 But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”(X)
33 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”
34 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”(Y)
35 “Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.
The Prayer in the Garden
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,[i](Z) and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.(AA) 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow[j] —to the point of death.[k] Remain here and stay awake with Me.”(AB) 39 Going a little farther,[l] He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”(AC)
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you[m] stay awake with Me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this[n] cannot pass[o] unless I drink it, Your will be done.”(AD) 43 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.[p]
44 After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?[q] Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.(AE) 46 Get up; let’s go! See, My betrayer is near.”
The Judas Kiss
47 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.(AF) A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!” 49 So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50 “Friend,”(AG) Jesus asked him, “why have you come?”[r]
Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. 51 At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his ear.(AH)
52 Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.(AI) 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions[s] of angels?(AJ) 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled(AK) that say it must happen this way?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,[t] to capture Me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple complex, and you didn’t arrest Me.(AL) 56 But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures[u](AM) would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples(AN) deserted Him and ran away.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
57 Those(AO) who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas(AP) the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. 58 Meanwhile, Peter was following Him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard.[v] He went in and was sitting with the temple police[w] to see the outcome.[x](AQ)
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.(AR) 60 But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses(AS) came forward.[y] Finally, two[z] who came forward 61 stated, “This man said, ‘I can demolish God’s sanctuary(AT) and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 The high priest then stood up and said to Him, “Don’t You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?” 63 But(AU) Jesus kept silent.(AV) Then the high priest said to Him, “By the living God I place You under oath:(AW) tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God!”(AX)
64 “You have said it,”[aa] Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future[ab] you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”(AY)[ac]
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!(AZ) Why do we still need witnesses? Look, now you’ve heard the blasphemy!(BA) 66 What is your decision?”[ad]
They answered, “He deserves death!”(BB) 67 Then they spit in His face(BC) and beat Him; others slapped Him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit You?”(BD)
Peter Denies His Lord
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.(BE) A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”
70 But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!”(BF)
72 And again he denied it with an oath,(BG) “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent[ae] gives you away.”
74 Then he started to curse[af] and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”(BH) And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Footnotes
- Matthew 26:2 Or Know (as a command)
- Matthew 26:3 Other mss add and the scribes
- Matthew 26:18 Lit Passover with you
- Matthew 26:28 Other mss read new covenant
- Matthew 26:29 Or drink new wine; lit drink it new
- Matthew 26:30 Pss 113–118 were sung during and after the Passover meal.
- Matthew 26:31 Or stumble
- Matthew 26:31 Zch 13:7
- Matthew 26:36 A garden east of Jerusalem at the base of the Mount of Olives; Gethsemane = olive oil press
- Matthew 26:38 Or I am deeply grieved, or I am overwhelmed by sorrow; Ps 42:6,11; 43:5
- Matthew 26:38 Lit unto death
- Matthew 26:39 Other mss read Drawing nearer
- Matthew 26:40 = all 3 disciples because the verb in Gk is pl
- Matthew 26:42 Other mss add cup
- Matthew 26:42 Other mss add from Me
- Matthew 26:43 Lit because their eyes were weighed down
- Matthew 26:45 Or Sleep on now and take your rest.
- Matthew 26:50 Or Jesus told him, “do what you have come for.” (as a statement)
- Matthew 26:53 A Roman legion contained up to 6,000 soldiers.
- Matthew 26:55 Lit as against a criminal
- Matthew 26:56 Or the Scriptures of the prophets
- Matthew 26:58 Or high priest’s palace
- Matthew 26:58 Or the officers, or the servants
- Matthew 26:58 Lit end
- Matthew 26:60 Other mss add they found none
- Matthew 26:60 Other mss add false witnesses
- Matthew 26:64 Or That is true, an affirmative oath; Mt 27:11; Mk 15:2
- Matthew 26:64 Lit you, from now
- Matthew 26:64 Ps 110:1; Dn 7:13
- Matthew 26:66 Lit What does it seem to you?
- Matthew 26:73 Or speech
- Matthew 26:74 To call down curses on himself if what he said weren’t true
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.