Luke 22:21–71

²¹But^ak 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!”

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

THE DISPUTE OVER GREATNESS

²⁴Then 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 called^D ‘Benefactors.’ ²⁶It 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. ²⁷For 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, ³⁰so 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. Satan^f has asked to sift you^B like wheat.^{g 32}But I have prayed^h for you^C 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 until^D you deny three times that you know me.”

BE READY FOR TROUBLE

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

“Not a thing,” they said.

³⁶Then 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. ³⁷For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in me:^E And he was counted among the lawless.^DF 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

³⁹He went out and made his wayⁿ as usual^o to the Mount of Olives,^p and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰When 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 cup^t away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

⁴³Then an angel from heaven^u appeared to him, strengthening him. ⁴⁴Being in anguish,^v he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. ⁴⁵When 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

⁴⁷While^w 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, ⁴⁸but Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

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

⁵¹But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” And touching his ear, he healed him. ⁵²Then 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?^{H 53}Every day while I was with you in the temple,^x you never laid a hand on me. But this is your hour^y—and the dominion of darkness.”^z

PETER DENIES HIS LORD

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

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

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

“Man, I am not!” Peter said.

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

⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹Then 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

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

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

⁶⁶When daylight came,^a the elders^B 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. ⁶⁸And if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”^e

⁷⁰They 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?”