Matthew 26:17–28:20
The Passover with the Disciples
17 jNow on kthe first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, l‘The Teacher says, mMy time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 nWhen it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.2 21 And as they were eating, ohe said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, p“He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes qas it is written of him, but rwoe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! sIt would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, tRabbi?” He said to him, u“You have said so.”
Institution of the Lord’s Supper
26 vNow as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and wafter blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; xthis is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he yhad given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for xthis is my zblood of the3 covenant, which is poured out for amany bfor the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you cin my Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
30 dAnd when they had sung a hymn, ethey went out to fthe Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will gstrike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, hI will go before you to Galilee.” 33 iPeter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 jJesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, kbefore the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 lPeter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
36 mThen Jesus went with them eto a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him nPeter and othe two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, p“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and qwatch4 with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face rand prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let sthis cup pass from me; tnevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 qWatch and upray that you vmay not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, wyour will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for xtheir eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for ythe third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.5 See, zthe hour is at hand, and athe Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
47 bWhile he was still speaking, cJudas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, dRabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, e“Friend, fdo what you came to do.”6 Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his gsword and struck the servant7 of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For hall who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 iDo you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me jmore than twelve klegions of angels? 54 lBut how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day mI sat in the temple nteaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But lall this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” oThen all the disciples left him and fled.
Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council
57 pThen qthose who had seized Jesus led him to rCaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And sPeter was following him at a distance, as far as rthe courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with tthe guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council8 uwere seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, vthough many false witnesses came forward. At last wtwo came forward 61 and said, “This man said, x‘I am able to ydestroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”9 63 zBut Jesus remained silent. aAnd the high priest said to him, b“I adjure you by cthe living God, dtell us if you are ethe Christ, fthe Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, g“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on hyou will see the Son of Man iseated at the right hand of Power and hcoming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest jtore his robes and said, k“He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, l“He deserves death.” 67 Then mthey spit in his face nand ostruck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you pChrist! Who is it that struck you?”
69 qNow Peter was sitting outside rin the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus sof Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for tyour accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, u“Before the rooster crows, you will vdeny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
27 wWhen morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people xtook counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and yled him away and zdelivered him over to aPilate the governor.
3 Then when bJudas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus1 was condemned, che changed his mind and brought back dthe thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? eSee to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, fhe departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into gthe treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore hthat field has been called the Field of Blood ito this day. 9 jThen was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, k“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
11 lNow Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you mthe King of the Jews?” Jesus said, n“You have said so.” 12 oBut when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, p“Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
15 qNow at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or rJesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out sof envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on tthe judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with uthat righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today vin a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to wask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” xThey all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? yWhat evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that za riot was beginning, he took water and awashed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of bthis man’s blood;2 csee to it yourselves.” 25 And all the …