Matthew 26:20–35

²⁰When evening came, Jesus was at the table with the twelve apostles. 

Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him—Mark 14:18–21; Luke 22:21–23; John 13:21–30

²¹While they were eating, he said, “I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me.” 

²²Feeling deeply hurt, they asked him one by one, “You don’t mean me, do you, Lord?” 

²³Jesus answered, “Someone who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴The 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.” 

²⁵Then Judas, who betrayed him, asked, “You don’t mean me, do you, Rabbi?” 

“Yes, I do,” Jesus replied. 

The Lord’s Supper—Mark 14:22–26; Luke 22:19–20

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take this, and eat it. This is my body.” 

²⁷Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood, the blood of the promise.^aIt is poured out for many people so that sins are forgiven. 

²⁹“I can guarantee that I won’t drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 

³⁰After they sang a hymn, they went to the Mount of Olives. 

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial—Mark 14:27–31; Luke 22:31–34; John 13:36–38

³¹Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will abandon me tonight. Scripture says, 

‘I will strike the shepherd, 

and the sheep in the flock will be scattered.’ 

³²“But after I am brought back to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.” 

³³Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else abandons you, I never will.” 

³⁴Jesus replied to Peter, “I can guarantee this truth: Before a rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” 

³⁵Peter told him, “Even if I have to die with you, I’ll never say that I don’t know you!” All the other disciples said the same thing.