Mark 14:1–25

The Plot to Kill Jesus—Matthew 26:1–5; Luke 22:1–2; John 11:45–57

¹It was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some underhanded way to arrest Jesus and to kill him. ²However, they said, “We shouldn’t arrest him during the festival, or else there will be a riot among the people.” 

A Woman Prepares Jesus’ Body for the Tomb—Matthew 26:6–13; John 12:1–8

³Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had suffered from a skin disease. While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him. She had a bottle of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She opened the bottle and poured the perfume on his head. 

⁴Some who were there were irritated and said to one another, “Why was the perfume wasted like this? ⁵This perfume could have been sold for a high price, and the money could have been given to the poor.” So they said some very unkind things to her. 

⁶Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. ⁷You will always have the poor with you and can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have me with you. ⁸She did what she could. She came to pour perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb. ⁹I can guarantee this truth: Wherever the Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 

Judas Plans to Betray Jesus—Matthew 26:14–16; Luke 22:3–6

¹⁰Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus. ¹¹They were pleased to hear what Judas had to say and promised to give him money. So he kept looking for a chance to betray Jesus. 

Preparations for the Passover—Matthew 26:17–20; Luke 22:7–17

¹²Killing the Passover lamb was customary on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The disciples asked Jesus, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” 

¹³He sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city. You will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. ¹⁴When he goes into a house, tell the owner that the teacher asks, ‘Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ ¹⁵He will take you upstairs and show you a large room. The room will be completely furnished. Get everything ready for us there.” 

¹⁶The disciples left. They went into the city and found everything as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 

¹⁷When evening came, Jesus arrived with the twelve apostles. 

Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him—Matthew 26:21–25; Luke 22:21–23; John 13:21–30

¹⁸While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me!” 

¹⁹Feeling hurt, they asked him one by one, “You don’t mean me, do you?” 

²⁰He said to them, “It’s one of you twelve, someone dipping his hand into the bowl with me. ²¹The Son of Man is going to die as the Scriptures say he will. But how horrible it will be for that person who betrays the Son of Man! It would have been better for that person if he had never been born.” 

The Lord’s Supper—Matthew 26:26–30; Luke 22:19–20

²²While they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it. He broke the bread, gave it to them, and said, “Take this. This is my body.” 

²³Then he took a cup, spoke a prayer of thanksgiving, and gave the cup to them. They all drank from it. ²⁴He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the promise.^aIt is poured out for many people. 

²⁵“I can guarantee this truth: I won’t drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine in God’s kingdom.”