THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

22 Then Festival of Unleavened Bread,o which is called Passover,p was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death,q because they were afraid of the people.r

3 Thens Satan entered Judas,t called Iscariot,u who was numbered among the Twelve. 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple policev how he could hand him overw to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him silver.E 6 So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.

PREPARATION FOR PASSOVER

7 Thenx the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.y 8 Jesus sent Peter and John,z saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

9 “Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.

10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs.aa Make the preparations there.”

13 So they went and found it just as he had told them,ab and they prepared the Passover.

THE FIRST LORD’S SUPPER

14 Whenac the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it againF until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”ad 17 Then he took a cup,ae and after giving thanks,af he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body,ag which is given for you. Do this in remembranceah of me.”

20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenantai in my blood,aj which is poured out for you.* 21 Butak look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me.al 22 For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined,am but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

23 So they began to arguean among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.

THE DISPUTE OVER GREATNESS

24 Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.ao 25 But he said to them,ap “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them have themselves calledH ‘Benefactors.’ 26 It is not to be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you should become like the youngest,aq and whoever leads, like the one serving. 27 For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.a 28 You are those who stood by me in my trials.b 29 I bestow on you a kingdom,c just as my Father bestowed one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.d And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.e

PETER’S DENIAL PREDICTED

31 “Simon, Simon,A look out. Satanf has asked to sift you like wheat.g 32 But I have prayedh for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengtheni your brothers.”

33 “Lord,”j he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

34 “I tell you, Peter,” he said, “the rooster will not crow today untilB you deny three times that you know me.”

BE READY FOR TROUBLE

35 He also said to them, “When I sent you outk without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Not a thing,” they said.

36 Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one. 37 For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in me:C And he was counted among the lawless.D,l Yes, what is written about me is coming to its fulfillment.”m

38 “Lord,” they said, “look, here are two swords.”

“That is enough!” he told them.

THE PRAYER IN THE GARDEN

39 He went out and made his wayn as usualo to the Mount of Olives,p and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place,q he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.”r 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,s 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cupt away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

43 Then an angel from heavenu appeared to him, strengthening him. 44 Being in anguish,v he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.* 45 When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.”

JUDAS’S BETRAYAL OF JESUS

47 Whilew he was still speaking, suddenly a mob came, and one of the Twelve named Judas was leading them. He came near Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 When those around him saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” 50 Then one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.

51 But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” And touching his ear, he healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal?F 53 Every day while I was with you in the temple,x you never laid a hand on me. But this is your houry—and the dominion of darkness.”z

PETER DENIES HIS LORD

54 They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peteraa was following at a distance. 55 Theyab lit a fire in the middle of the courtyardac and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. 56 When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.”

57 But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him.”

58 After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter said.

59 About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with him, since he’s also a Galilean.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter.ad So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”ae 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

JESUS MOCKED AND BEATEN

63 The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating him.af 64 After blindfolding him, they keptG asking, “Prophesy! Who was it that hit you?” 65 And they were saying many other blasphemousag things to him.

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

66 When daylight came,a the eldersA of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes,b convened and brought him before their Sanhedrin.c 67 They said,d “If you are the Messiah, tell us.”

But he said to them, “If I do tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”e

70 They all asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?”f

And he said to them, “You say that I am.”g

71 “Why do we need any more testimony,” they said, “since we’ve heard it ourselves from his mouth?”

JESUS FACES PILATE

23 Thenh their whole assembly rose up and brought him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, opposing payment of taxesi to Caesar, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”

3 So Pilate asked him,j “Are you the king of the Jews?”k

He answered him, “You say so.”B

4 Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no groundsl for charging this man.”

5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people,m teaching throughout all Judea, from Galileen where he started even to here.”

JESUS FACES HEROD ANTIPAS

6 When Pilateo heard this,C he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Finding that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,p who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracleD performed by him. 9 So he kept asking him questions, but Jesus did not answer him.q 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt, mockedr him, dressed him in bright clothing,s and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends.E,t Previously, they had been enemies.

JESUS OR BARABBAS

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,u 14 and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who misleads the people.v But in fact, after examining him in your presence, I have found no groundsw to charge this man with those things you accuse him of. 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will have him whippedF,x and then release him.”*

18 Theny they all cried out together, “Take this man away!z Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release Jesus,aa Pilate addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong?ab I have found in him no groundsac for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.”

23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voicesH won out. 24 Soad Pilate decided to …