Matthew
Chapter 26
1 After Jesus said all this, he spoke to his followers.
2 You know that in two days the Passover feast will happen, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to be crucified.
3 The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people gathered at the high priest’s palace, whose name was Caiaphas.
4 They planned secretly to capture Jesus and kill him.
5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.”
6 When Jesus was in Bethany, at Simon the leper’s house,
7 A woman came to him with a jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head while he was eating.
8 When his followers saw this, they were upset, asking, “Why this waste?”
9 This perfume could have been sold for a good price and the money given to the poor.
10 When Jesus knew this, he said to them, “Why do you bother this woman? She has done a good thing for me.”
11 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.
12 Because she put this perfume on me, she did it for when I am buried.
13 I truly tell you, wherever this good news is shared in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told to remember her.
14 One of the twelve disciples, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests.
15 He asked them, “What will you pay me to hand him over to you?” So they agreed to give him thirty silver coins.
16 From then on, he looked for a chance to betray him.
17 On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread, the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to get ready for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will celebrate the Passover at your house with my followers.’”
19 The disciples did what Jesus told them, and they prepared for the Passover.
20 When evening came, he sat down with the twelve.
21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad, and each one started asking him, “Lord, is it me?”
23 He replied, “The one who dips his hand in the bowl with me will betray me.”
24 The Son of Man is going as it has been told about him, but how terrible for the person who betrays the Son of Man! It would have been better for that person if he had never been born.
25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, “Teacher, is it me?” He replied to him, “You have said so.”
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 He took the cup, thanked God, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink all of it.”
28 This is my blood of the new agreement, poured out for many to forgive sins.
29 I tell you, I won’t drink this wine again until the day I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.
30 After singing a hymn, they went to the Mount of Olives.
31 Jesus said to them, “All of you will be troubled because of me tonight, as it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”
32 After I come back to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
33 Peter replied to him, “Even if everyone is upset because of you, I will never be upset.”
34 Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
35 Peter said to him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” All the other disciples said the same.
36 Jesus came with them to a place named Gethsemane and said to the disciples, “Stay here while I go over there to pray.”
37 He brought Peter and Zebedee’s two sons with him, and started to feel sad and very troubled.
38 He said to them, “My soul is very sad, as if I’m about to die. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 He went on a bit more, fell face down, and prayed, “My Father, if it’s possible, let this cup be taken away; but not what I want, your will be done.”
40 He came to his followers, found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, you couldn’t stay awake with me for one hour?”
41 Stay alert and pray so you don’t give in to temptation. You want to do what’s right, but it’s hard to follow through.
42 He went to pray again, saying, “My Father, if I must go through this and cannot avoid it, let your will happen.”
43 He came and saw them sleeping again because their eyes were tired.
44 He left them, went away again, and prayed for the third time, saying the same things.
45 He then goes to his disciples and tells them, “Keep sleeping and resting. Look, the time is near when the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners.”
46 Get up, let’s go; look, the one who will betray me is near.
47 While he was still talking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived with a large crowd carrying swords and clubs sent by the religious leaders and elders.
48 The one who betrayed Jesus told them, “The man I kiss is the one you want. Grab him and don’t let go.”
49 He immediately went to Jesus, said “Hello, teacher,” and kissed him.
50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came, grabbed Jesus, and arrested him.
51 Suddenly, one with Jesus reached out, pulled out a sword, hit the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
52 Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place. Everyone who uses a sword will die by a sword.”
53 Do you think I cannot ask my Father for help, and he would quickly send me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then will what the Scriptures say come true, that it has to happen this way?
55 At that time, Jesus said to the crowds, “Did you come to arrest me with swords and clubs as if I were a thief? I was with you every day teaching in the temple, and you didn’t seize me.”
56 All this happened to fulfill what the prophets wrote. Then all the followers left him and ran away.
57 Those who captured Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders were gathered.
58 Peter followed him from a distance to the high priest’s house, entered, and sat with the servants to see what would happen.
59 The religious leaders, elders, and council looked for lies about Jesus to have a reason to kill him.
60 They found none, even though many liars came. Finally, two liars came.
61 He said, “This man claimed, ‘I can tear down God’s temple and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these accusations these people are making against you?”
63 But Jesus stayed silent, and the high priest said to him, “I order you by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus told him, “You have said it. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of Power and coming on heaven’s clouds.”
65 The high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken disrespectfully against God; do we need more witnesses? You all heard the disrespect.”
66 What do you think? They replied, “He deserves to die.”
67 They spit in his face, hit him, and others slapped him with their hands.
68 Tell us, you Messiah, who hit you?
69 Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a girl came up to him and said, “You were also with Jesus from Galilee.”
70 He denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
71 After he went out to the entryway, another girl saw him and told the people there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”
72 He again denied, promising with a strong promise, “I don’t know the man.”
73 After some time, those standing nearby came to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; your way of talking gives you away.”
74 He started to curse and swear, “I don’t know the man.” Right away, a rooster crowed.
75 Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went outside and cried hard.