New Testament in a Year

Jesus Tells of His Death the Fourth Time ^(A)

26 When Jesus had finished all this teaching, He said to His followers, ² “You know that the special religious supper to remember how the Jews left Egypt is in two days. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross.”

³ The religious leaders and the leaders of the people gathered at the house of the head religious leader. His name was Caiaphas. ⁴ They talked together how they might trap Jesus and kill Him. ⁵ But they said, “This must not happen on the day of the special supper. The people would be against it. They would make much trouble.”

Mary of Bethany Puts Special Perfume on Jesus ^(B)

⁶ Jesus was in the town of Bethany in the house of Simon. Simon had a very bad skin disease. ⁷ A woman came with a jar of perfume. She had given much money for this. As Jesus ate, she poured the perfume on His head. ⁸ When the followers saw it, they were angry. They said, “Why was this wasted? ⁹ This perfume could have been sold for much money and given to poor people.”

¹⁰ Jesus knew what they were saying. He said to them, “Why are you giving this woman trouble? She has done a good thing to Me. ¹¹ You will have poor people with you all the time. But you will not have Me with you all the time. ¹² She put this perfume on My body to make it ready for the grave. ¹³ For sure, I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in all the world, this woman will be remembered for what she has done.”

Judas Hands Jesus Over to Be Killed ^(C)

¹⁴ Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve followers. He went to the religious leaders of the Jews. ¹⁵ He said, “What will you pay me if I hand Jesus over to you?” They promised to pay him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ From that time on Judas looked for a way to hand Jesus over to them.

Getting Ready for the Special Supper ^(D)

¹⁷ On the first day of the supper of bread without yeast the followers came to Jesus. They said, “What place do You want us to make ready for You to eat the supper of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will eat the special supper at your house with My followers.”’” ¹⁹ The followers did as Jesus told them. They made things ready for this special supper.

The Last Special Supper ^(E)

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus sat with the twelve followers. ²¹ As they were eating, Jesus said, “For sure, I tell you, one of you will hand Me over.” ²² They were very sad. They said to Him one after the other, “Lord, is it I?” ²³ He said, “The one who will hand Me over is the one who has just put his hand with Mine in the dish. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going away as it is written of Him. It is bad for that man who hands the Son of Man over! It would have been better if he had not been born!” ²⁵ Judas was the one who was handing Jesus over. He said, “Teacher, am I the one?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it.”