26:1  When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

26:2  "You know that after two days the Passover will come, and the Son of Man will become handed over for crucifixion."

26:3  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;

26:4  and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

26:5  But they said, "Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people."

26:6  Now when Jesus stayed in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

26:7  a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

26:8  But the disciples became indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste?

26:9  "For we might have sold this perfume for a high price and the money given to the poor."

26:10  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.

26:11  "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

26:12  "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.

26:13  "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel becomes preached in the whole world, what this woman has done people will speak of in memory of her."

26:14  Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

26:15  and said, "What will you give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.

26:16  From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

26:17  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

26:18  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time has drawn near; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

26:19  The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

26:20  Now when evening came, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve disciples.

26:21  As they ate, He said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

26:22  Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?"

26:23  And He answered, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl will betray Me.

26:24  "The Son of Man will go, just as the scriptures say of Him; but woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would have proven preferable for that man if he had not entered this world."

26:25  And Judas, who betrayed Him, said, "Surely you do not think I will betray you, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself."

26:26  While they had eaten, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this represents My body."

26:27  And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;

26:28  for this represents My blood of the covenant, which I will pour out for many for forgiveness of sins.

26:29  "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

26:30  After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

26:31  Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for the scriptures read, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL SCATTER.'

26:32  "But after My Father has resurrected me, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."

26:33  But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away."

26:34  Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."

26:35  Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too.

26:36  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

26:37  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to have grief and distress.

26:38  Then He said to them, "My soul feels deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."

26:39  And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if you deem it possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

26:40  And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?

26:41  "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit seems willing, but the flesh proves weak."

26:42  He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it; I submit to your will."

26:43  Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes had become heavy.

26:44  And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

26:45  Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Do you still sleep and rest? Behold, the hour has come when the Son of Man will suffer betrayal into the hands of sinners.

26:46  "Get up, let us go; behold, the one who betrays Me has shown up!"

26:47  While He still spoke, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

26:48  Now he who betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, seize Him."

26:49  Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

26:50  And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what have you come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

26:51  And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.

26:52  Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.

26:53  "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

26:54  How then will the Scriptures become fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"

26:55  At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.

26:56  "But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

26:57  Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders gathered together.

26:58  But Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

26:59  Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.

26:60  They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward,

26:61  and said, "This man stated, 'I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"

26:62  The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What do these men testify against You?"

26:63  But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You consider yourself the Christ, the Son of God."

26:64  Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN."

26:65  Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;

26:66  what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"

26:67  Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,

26:68  and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who hit You?"

26:69  Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too accompanied Jesus the Galilean."

26:70  But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you talk about."

26:71  When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who stood there, "This man accompanied Jesus of Nazareth."

26:72  And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man."

26:73  A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too belong to them; for even the way you talk gives you away."

26:74  Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.

26:75  And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.