New Testament in a Year
The Plan to Kill Jesus
14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a way to use some trick to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 But they said, “We must not do it during the feast. The people might cause a riot.”
A Woman with Perfume for Jesus
3 Jesus was in Bethany. He was at dinner in the house of Simon, who had a harmful skin disease. While Jesus was there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. The woman opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 Some of those who were there saw this and became angry. They complained to each other, saying, “Why waste that perfume? 5 It was worth a full year’s work. It could be sold, and the money could be given to the poor.” They spoke to the woman sharply.
6 Jesus said, “Don’t bother the woman. Why are you troubling her? She did a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you. You can help them anytime 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. She did this before I die to prepare me for burial. 9 I tell you the truth. The Good News will be told to people in all the world. And in every place it is preached, what this woman has done will be told. And people will remember her.”
Judas Becomes an Enemy of Jesus
10 One of the 12 followers, Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the leading priests. Judas offered to give Jesus to them. 11 The leading priests were pleased about this. They promised to pay Judas money. So he waited for the best time to give Jesus to them.
Jesus Eats the Passover Feast
12 It was now the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This was a time when the Jews always sacrificed the Passover lambs. Jesus’ followers came to him. They said, “We will go and prepare everything for the Passover Feast. Where do you want to eat the feast?”
13 Jesus sent two of his followers and said to them, “Go into the city. A man carrying a jar of water will meet 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 Feast.’ 15 The owner will show you a large room upstairs. This room is ready. Prepare the food for us there.”
16 So the followers left and went into the city. Everything happened as Jesus had said. So they prepared the Passover Feast.
17 In the evening, Jesus went to that house with the 12. 18 While they were all eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. One of you will give me to my enemies—one of you eating with me now.”
19 The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one said to Jesus, “I am not the one, am I?”
20 Jesus answered, “The man who is against me is 1 of the 12. He is the 1 who dips his bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man must go and die. The Scriptures say this will happen. But how terrible it will be for the person who gives the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for that person if he had never been born.”
The Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take it. This bread is my body.”
23 Then Jesus took a cup. He thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. All the followers drank from the cup.
24 Then Jesus said, “This is my blood which begins the new[a] agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many. 25 I tell you the truth. I will not drink of this fruit of the vine[b] again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 They sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.