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.
Jesus’ Followers Will All Leave Him
27 Then Jesus told the followers, “You will all lose your faith in me. It is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.’ Zechariah 13:7
28 But after I rise from death, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter said, “All the other followers may lose their faith. But I will not.”
30 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don’t know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows twice.”
31 But Peter answered strongly, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone
32 Jesus and his followers went to a place called Gethsemane. He said to his followers, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 Jesus told Peter, James, and John to come with him. Then Jesus began to be very sad and troubled. 34 He said to them, “I am full of sorrow. My heart is breaking with sadness. Stay here and watch.”
35 Jesus walked a little farther away from them. Then he fell on the ground and prayed. He prayed that, if possible, he would not have this time of suffering. 36 He prayed, “Abba,[c] Father! You can do all things. Let me not have this cup[d] of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.”
37 Then Jesus went back to his followers. He found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, why are you sleeping? You could not stay awake with me for one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray that you will not be tempted. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”
39 Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he went back to the followers. Again he found them asleep because their eyes were very heavy. And they did not know what to say to Jesus.
41 After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his followers. He said to them, “You are still sleeping and resting? That’s enough! The time has come for the Son of Man to be given to sinful people. 42 Get up! We must go. Here comes the man who has turned against me.”
Jesus Is Arrested
43 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas came up. Judas was 1 of the 12 followers. He had many people with him. They were sent from the leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders. Those with Judas had swords and clubs.
44 Judas had planned a signal for them. He had said, “The man I kiss is Jesus. Arrest him and guard him while you lead him away.” 45 So Judas went to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” and kissed him. 46 Then the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 One of the followers standing near drew his sword. He struck the servant of the high priest with the sword and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus said, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal. 49 Every day I was with you teaching in the Temple. You did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened to make the Scriptures come true.” 50 Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
51 A young man, wearing only a linen cloth, was following Jesus. The people also grabbed him. 52 But the cloth he was wearing came off, and he ran away naked.
Jesus Before the Leaders
53 The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest. All the leading priests, the Jewish elders, and the teachers of the law were gathered there. 54 Peter followed far behind and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55 The leading priests and all the Jewish council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof against him. 56 Many people came and told false things about him. But all said different things—none of them agreed.
57 Then some men stood up and lied about Jesus. They said, 58 “We heard this man say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that men made. And three days later, I will build another Temple—a Temple not made by men.’” 59 But even the things these men said did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood before them and said to Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer the charges these men bring against you?” 61 But Jesus said nothing. He did not answer.
The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed God?”
62 Jesus answered, “I am. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Powerful One. And you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds in the sky.”
63 When the high priest heard this, he was very angry. He tore his clothes and said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! 64 You all heard him say these things against God. What do you think?”
They all said that Jesus was guilty and should be killed. 65 Some of the people there spit at Jesus. They covered his eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, “Prove that you are a prophet!” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus
66 Peter was still in the courtyard when a servant girl of the high priest came there. 67 She saw Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked closely at him.
Then the girl said, “You were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”
68 But Peter said that he was never with Jesus. He said, “I don’t know or understand what you are talking about.” Then Peter left and went toward the entrance of the courtyard.[e]
69 The servant girl saw Peter there. Again she said to the people who were standing there, “This man is one of those who followed Jesus.” 70 Again Peter said that it was not true.
A short time later, some people were standing near Peter. They said, “We know you are one of those who followed Jesus. You are from Galilee, too.”
71 Then Peter began to curse. He said, “I swear that I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
72 As soon as Peter said this, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter was very sad and began to cry.
Footnotes
- 14:24 new Some Greek copies do not have this word. Compare Luke 22:20.
- 14:25 fruit of the vine Product of the grapevine; this may also be translated “wine.”
- 14:36 Abba Name that a child called his father.
- 14:36 cup Jesus is talking about the bad things that will happen to him. Accepting these things will be very hard, like drinking a cup of something that tastes very bitter.
- 14:68 Many Greek copies add: “And the rooster crowed.”