New Testament in a Year

²⁶ While Jesus and his disciples were eating, he took a loaf of bread. He thanked God for it and then he broke the bread into pieces. He gave some of it to each of them. He said, ‘Take this bread and eat it. This is my body.’

²⁷ Then Jesus took a cup. He thanked God for the wine in the cup. Then he gave it to them and he said, ‘All of you should drink some of this wine. ²⁸ This is my blood that shows God's promise. When I die, my blood will pour out of my body. In that way God will forgive many people for the wrong things that they have done. That is the promise that God makes because of my death. ²⁹ I tell you this. I will not drink wine again until I drink it with you in my Father's kingdom. Then it will be new wine.’^[a]

³⁰ Then Jesus and his disciples sang a song to praise God.^[b] Then they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus tells Peter what will happen

³¹ Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Tonight, all of you will turn away from me. It will happen in the way that the Bible says:

³² Jesus then said, ‘But after that happens, I will become alive again. Then I will go to Galilee, and you will meet me there.’

³³ Peter said to Jesus, ‘Even if everyone else runs away, I will not leave you.’

³⁴ Jesus replied to Peter, ‘I tell you this: Even tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me. This will happen before the cockerel sings early tomorrow morning.’

³⁵ But Peter said to Jesus, ‘I will die with you if I need to. But I will never say that I do not know you.’ All the other disciples said the same thing.

Jesus prays in a garden on the Mount of Olives

³⁶ Then Jesus and his disciples arrived at a large garden called Gethsemane. Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’ ³⁷ Then Jesus took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, with him. He became very sad and upset. ³⁸ He said to them, ‘I am very sad. I feel as if I could die because I feel so sad. Wait here with me and stay awake.’

³⁹ Jesus went a short way beyond them. He went down with his face on the ground. He prayed, ‘Father, if it is possible, please save me from this time of great pain. But Father, I do not ask you to do what I want. Do what you want to do.’

⁴⁰ Jesus returned to the three disciples. Now they were sleeping. He said to Peter, ‘You men could not stay awake with me for even one hour! ⁴¹ You must stay awake and pray. God can help you, so that you will not do something wrong. You really want to do the right thing, but your bodies are weak.’

⁴² Jesus went away a second time and he prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible to save me from this time of great pain, then I want to obey you. Do what you want for me.’

⁴³ Then Jesus returned again to Peter, James and John. He saw that they were sleeping. They could not keep their eyes open. ⁴⁴ So Jesus went away from them again and he prayed a third time. He said the same words to God.

⁴⁵ When he returned to the disciples, he said, ‘You should not still be sleeping and resting. Look! The moment has arrived! Someone will now give me, the Son of Man, to my enemies. ⁴⁶ Stand up, we will go now. Look! The man who will give me to my enemies is here.’

The soldiers take hold of Jesus

⁴⁷ While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples. A crowd also came with him. They were carrying swords and heavy sticks. The leaders of the priests and the important Jews had sent these people with Judas. ⁴⁸ Judas was ready to help the Jewish leaders to take hold of Jesus. Before this, he had told them, ‘I will kiss one of the men. You must take hold of that man.’

⁴⁹ Now Judas went immediately to Jesus. He said, ‘Hello, Teacher.’ Then he kissed Jesus in a friendly way.^[d]

⁵⁰ Jesus said to Judas, ‘My friend, now do what you have come here to do.’

Then the crowd of men came up to Jesus. They took hold of him to lead him away.