Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus

A woman pours out costly perfume and is scolded for it; Judas sells him for thirty coins. In Gethsemane Jesus asks his Father to take the cup while his friends keep falling asleep. Arrested, he does not resist. Peter swears he never knew the man.

Chapter 26.

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

"You know Passover comes after two days, and the Son of Man is handed over to be crucified."

Then the chief priests and elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas, and they plotted together to seize Jesus secretly and kill him. But they said, "Not during the festival, or there will be an uproar among the people."

She Anoints Jesus for Burial

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head as he sat at the table. Seeing this, the disciples were angry, saying, "Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor."

Jesus knew this and said to them, "Why trouble this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. For when she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you: wherever this gospel is preached worldwide, what she did will also be told, in memory of her."

Judas Betrays the Son for Silver

Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, "What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?" And they counted out thirty pieces of silver for him. And from then on he looked for an opportunity to betray him.

Preparing for the Passover

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples asked Jesus, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My time is near. I'll keep Passover at your house with my disciples.'"

And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

When evening came, he sat at the table with the Twelve.

And as they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me."

Deeply grieved, they each asked him, "Surely not I, Lord?"

He replied, "The one who has dipped his hand in the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes, just as is written of him. But how terrible for the man who betrays him—better for him had he never been born."

Judas, his betrayer, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said so."

As they ate, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." Taking a cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. I tell you: I won't drink this fruit of the vine again, from now until the day I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

Then Jesus told them, "Tonight you will all fall away because of me. For it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the flock's sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."

Peter said to him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away."

Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth: before the rooster crows tonight, you will deny me three times."

Peter said, "Even if I must die with you, I won't deny you." All the disciples said the same.

The Son Surrenders to the Father

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and told the disciples, "Sit here while I go pray over there."

And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he became deeply grieved and distressed.

Then he told them, "My soul is crushed with sorrow, even to death. Stay here and watch with me."

Going a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

He came to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So, couldn't you stay awake with me one hour? Stay alert and pray, so you don't fall into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

A second time he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."

And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same words again.

Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let's go! Look, the one who betrays me is here!"

Jesus Betrayed and Arrested

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly came with a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a signal: "The one I kiss is him—seize him." And immediately he came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him.

Jesus told him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came, grabbed Jesus, and held him.

And look, one of those with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.

Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back in its place. All who take the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I can't call on my Father, who'd at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?"

At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Did you come out with swords and clubs to seize me, as against a bandit? I sat teaching in the temple daily, and you didn't arrest me. But all this happened to fulfill the prophets' Scriptures." Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.

Jesus Before His Accusers

Then those who arrested Jesus brought him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. Peter followed at a distance, to the high priest's courtyard, went in, and sat with the guards to watch how it would end.

The chief priests and the whole Council sought false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward, and said, "This man said, 'I can destroy God's temple and rebuild it in three days.'"

The high priest stood up and said to him, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent. The high priest said, "I put you under oath by the living God: tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

Jesus told him, "You've said it. But I tell you: from now on you'll see the Son of Man seated at Power's right hand, coming on heaven's clouds."

Then the high priest tore his clothes: "He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You've now heard the blasphemy. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death."

Then they spit in his face and struck him; and some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit you?"

Peter Denies Knowing Jesus

Peter sat outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached, saying, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean."

But he denied it before them all, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about."

As he went out to the gate, another servant girl saw him and told those there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man."

Shortly after, the bystanders came to Peter: "Surely you're one of them too, since your accent gives you away."

Then he began to curse himself and swear, "I don't know the man." At once a rooster crowed.

Peter remembered Jesus' words: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and wept bitterly.

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Matthew 26