THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

14 Itbo was two days before the Passoverbp and the Festivalbq of Unleavened Bread.br The chief priests and the scribesbs were looking for a cunningbt way to arrest Jesus and kill him.bu 2 “Not during the festival,” they said, “so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”

THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

3 Whilea he was in Bethanyb at the house of Simon the leper,* c as he was reclining at the table,d a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it on his head.e 4 But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denariiB,f and given to the poor.”g And they began to scold her.

6 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thingh for me. 7 You always have the poori with you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have me.j 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my bodyk in advance for burial.l 9 Truly I tell you,m wherever the gospeln is proclaimed in the whole world,o what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

10 Thenp Judas Iscariot,q one of the Twelve,r went to the chief priestss to betray Jesust to them. 11 And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money.u So he started looking for a good opportunity to betrayv him.

PREPARATION FOR PASSOVER

12 Onw the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb,x his disciplesy asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover so that you may eat it?”

13 So he sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacherz says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciplesaa went out, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

BETRAYAL AT THE PASSOVER

17 Whenab evening came, he arrived with the Twelve.ac 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, “Surely not I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Manad will go just as it is writtenae about him,af but woeag to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”

THE FIRST LORD’S SUPPER

22 Asah they were eating, he took bread,ai blessed and brokeaj it, gave it to them,ak and said, “Take it; this is my body.”al 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks,am he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant,C,an which is poured outao for many.ap 25 Truly I tell you,aq I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vinear until that day when I drink it newD,as in the kingdom of God.”at

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