Luke 22

The Plot to Kill Jesus

22The ⁱFestival of Unleavened Bread, ^jwhich is called Passover, ^kwas drawing near. ²The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death, ^lbecause they were afraid of the people. ^m

³Then ⁿSatan entered Judas, ^ocalled Iscariot, ^pwho was numbered among the Twelve. ⁴He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police ^qhow he could hand Him over ^rto them. ⁵They were glad and agreed to give him silver. ^s6So 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

⁷Then ^tthe Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ^u8Jesus sent Peter and John, ^vsaying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so we can eat it.”

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. ¹¹Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ ¹²Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. ^wMake the preparations there.”

¹³So they went and found it just as He had told them, ^xand they prepared the Passover.

The First Lord’s Supper

¹⁴When ^ythe hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. ¹⁵Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again ^zuntil it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ^a17Then He took a cup, ^band after giving thanks, ^cHe said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is My body, ^dwhich is given for you. Do this in remembrance ^eof Me.”

²⁰In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant ^festablished by My blood; ^git is shed for you. ^h21But ⁱlook, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me! ^j22For the ^•Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, ^kbut woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

²³So they began to argue ^lamong themselves which of them it could be who was going to do this thing.

The Dispute over Greatness

²⁴Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest. ^m25But He said to them, ⁿ“The kings of the Gentiles dominate them, and those who have authority over them are called ^o‘Benefactors.’ ^p26But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you must become like the youngest, ^qand 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. ^r28You are the ones who stood by Me in My trials. ^s29I bestow on you a kingdom, ^tjust as My Father bestowed one on Me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. ^uAnd you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. ^v

Peter’s Denial Predicted

³¹“Simon, Simon, ^wlook out! Satan ^xhas asked to sift you ^ylike wheat. ^z32But I have prayed ^afor you ^bthat your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen ^cyour brothers.”

³³“Lord,” ^dhe 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 ^eyou deny three times that you know Me!”

Be Ready for Trouble

³⁵He also said to them, “When I sent you out ^fwithout 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: And He was counted among the outlaws. ^ghYes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment.” ⁱ

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

“Enough of that!” ^jHe told them.

The Prayer in the Garden

³⁹He went out and made His way ^kas usual ^lto the Mount of Olives, ^mand the disciples followed Him. ⁴⁰When He reached the place, ⁿHe told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ^o41Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, ^p42“Father, if You are willing, take this cup ^qaway from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

[⁴³Then an angel from heaven ^rappeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴Being in anguish, ^sHe prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.] ^t45When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. ^u46“Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.”

The Judas Kiss

⁴⁷While ^vHe was still speaking, suddenly a mob was there, 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 slave and cut off his right ear.

⁵¹But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” ^wAnd 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? ^x53Every day while I was with you in the ^•temple complex, ^yyou never laid a hand on Me. But this is your hour ^z—and the dominion of darkness.” ^a

Peter Denies His Lord

⁵⁴They seized Him, led Him away, and brought Him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter ^bwas following at a distance. ⁵⁵They ^clit a fire in the middle of the courtyard ^dand sat down together, and Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶When a servant saw him sitting in the firelight, 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. ^eSo Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” ^f62And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Jesus Mocked and Beaten

⁶³The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating Him. ^g64After blindfolding Him, they kept ^hasking, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” ⁶⁵And they were saying many other blasphemous ⁱthings against Him.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

⁶⁶When daylight came, ^jthe elders ^kof the people, both the chief priests and the scribes, ^lconvened and brought Him before their Sanhedrin. ^m67They said, ⁿ“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.” ^o

⁷⁰They all asked, “Are You, then, the Son of God?” ^p

And He said to them, “You say that I am.” ^q

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