22:1  NOW THE Festival of Unleavened Bread was drawing near, which is called the Passover.

22:2  And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to do away with [Jesus], for they feared the people.

22:3  But [then] Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve [apostles].

22:4  And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray Him {and} deliver Him up to them.

22:5  And they were delighted and pledged [themselves] to give him money.

22:6  So he agreed [to this], and sought an opportunity to betray Him to them [without an uprising] in the absence of the throng.

22:7  Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover [lamb] had to be slain.

22:8  So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare for us the Passover meal, that we may eat it.

22:9  They said to Him, Where do You want us to prepare [it]?

22:10  He said to them, Behold, when you have gone into the city, a man carrying an earthen jug {or} pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters,

22:11  And say to the master of the house, The Teacher asks you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover [meal] with My disciples?

22:12  And he will show you a large room upstairs, furnished [with carpets and with couches properly spread]; there make [your] preparations.

22:13  And they went and found it [just] as He had said to them; and they made ready the Passover [supper].

22:14  And when the hour came, [Jesus] reclined at table, and the apostles with Him.

22:15  And He said to them, I have earnestly {and} intensely desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

22:16  For I say to you, I shall eat it no more until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

22:17  And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He said, Take this and divide {and} distribute it among yourselves;

22:18  For I say to you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine at all until the kingdom of God comes.

22:19  Then He took a loaf [of bread], and when He had given thanks, He broke [it] and gave it to them saying, This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.

22:20  And in like manner, He took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament {or} covenant [ratified] in My blood, which is shed (poured out) for you.

22:21  But, behold, the hand of him who is now engaged in betraying Me is with Me on the table.

22:22  For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined {and} appointed, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed {and} delivered up!

22:23  And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was who was about to do this.

22:24  Now an eager contention arose among them [as to] which of them was considered {and} reputed to be the greatest.

22:25  But Jesus said to them, The kings of the Gentiles are deified by them {and} exercise lordship [ruling as emperor-gods] over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors {and} well-doers.

22:26  But this is not to be so with you; on the contrary, let him who is the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who is the chief {and} leader like one who serves.

22:27  For who is the greater, the one who reclines at table (the master), or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am in your midst as One Who serves.

22:28  And you are those who have remained [throughout] {and} persevered with Me in My trials;

22:29  And as My Father has appointed a kingdom {and} conferred it on Me, so do I confer on you [the privilege and decree],

22:30  That you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

22:31  Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain,

22:32  But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen {and} establish your brethren.

22:33  And [Simon Peter] said to Him, Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death.

22:34  But Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, before a [single] cock shall crow this day, you will three times [utterly] deny that you know Me.

22:35  And He said to them, When I sent you out with no purse or [provision] bag or sandals, did you lack anything? They answered, Nothing!

22:36  Then He said to them, But now let him who has a purse take it, and also [his provision] bag; and let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy a sword.

22:37  For I tell you that this Scripture must yet be fulfilled in Me: And He was counted {and} classed among the wicked (the outlaws, the criminals); for what is written about Me has its fulfillment [has reached its end and is finally settled].

22:38  And they said, Look, Lord! Here are two swords. And He said to them, It is enough.

22:39  And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed Him.

22:40  And when He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation.

22:41  And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed,

22:42  Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.

22:43  And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him in spirit.

22:44  And being in an agony [of mind], He prayed [all the] more earnestly {and} intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground.

22:45  And when He got up from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from grief,

22:46  And He said to them, Why do you sleep? Get up and pray that you may not enter [at all] into temptation.

22:47  And while He was still speaking, behold, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve [apostles], was going before [leading] them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him,

22:48  But Jesus said to him, Judas! Would you betray {and} deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?

22:49  And when those who were around Him saw what was about to happen, they said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword?

22:50  And one of them struck the bond servant of the high priest and cut off his ear, the right one.

22:51  But Jesus said, Permit them to go so far [as to seize Me]. And He touched the little (insignificant) ear and healed him.

22:52  Then Jesus said to those who had come out against Him--the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders [of the Sanhedrin]--Have you come out with swords and clubs as [you would] against a robber?

22:53  When I was with you day after day in the temple [enclosure], you did not stretch forth [your] hands against Me. But this is your hour--and the power [which] darkness [gives you has its way].

22:54  Then they seized Him and led Him away, bringing Him into the house of the high priest. Peter was following at a distance.

22:55  And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and were seated together, Peter sat among them.

22:56  Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and gazing [intently] at him, said, This man too was with Him.

22:57  But he denied it and said, Woman, I do not know Him!

22:58  And a little later someone else saw him and said, You are one of them also. But Peter said, Man, I am not!

22:59  And when about an hour more had elapsed, still another emphatically insisted, It is the truth that this man also was with Him, for he too is a Galilean!

22:60  But Peter said, Man, I do not know what you are talking about. And instantly, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.

22:61  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter recalled the Lord's words, how He had told him, Before the cock crows today, you will deny Me thrice.

22:62  And he went out and wept bitterly [that is, with painfully moving grief].

22:63  Now the men who had Jesus in custody treated Him with contempt {and} scoffed at {and} ridiculed Him and beat Him;

22:64  They blindfolded Him also and asked Him, Prophesy! Who is it that struck You?

22:65  And they said many other evil {and} slanderous {and} insulting words against Him, reviling Him.

22:66  As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led Him into their council (the Sanhedrin), and they said,

22:67  If You are the Christ (the Messiah), tell us. But He said to them, If I tell you, you will not believe (trust in, cleave to, and rely on what I say),

22:68  And if I question you, you will not answer.

22:69  But hereafter (from this time on), the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.

22:70  And they all said, You are the Son of God, then? And He said to them, It is just as you say; I AM.

22:71  And they said, What further evidence do we need? For we have heard [it] ourselves from His own mouth!