Mark 14:1–25

The Plot to Kill Jesus

14After ^ftwo days it was the Passover ^gand the Festival ^hof Unleavened Bread. ⁱThe chief priests and the scribes ^jwere looking for a treacherous ^kway to arrest and kill Him. ^l2“Not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be rioting among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

³While ^mHe was in Bethany ⁿat the house of Simon who had a serious skin disease, ^oas He was reclining at the table, ^pa woman came with an alabaster jar of pure and expensive fragrant oil of nard. She broke the jar and poured it on His head. ^q4But some were expressing indignation to one another: “Why has this fragrant oil been wasted? ⁵For this oil might have been sold for more than 300 denarii ^rand given to the poor.” ^sAnd they began to scold her.

⁶Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a noble thing ^tfor Me. ⁷You always have the poor ^uwith you, and you can do what is good for them whenever you want, but you do not always have Me. ^v8She has done what she could; she has anointed My body ^win advance for burial. ^x9•I assure you: ^yWherever the gospel ^zis proclaimed in the whole world, ^awhat this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

¹⁰Then ^bJudas Iscariot, ^cone of the Twelve, ^dwent to the chief priests ^eto hand Him over ^fto them. ¹¹And when they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him silver. ^ghSo he started looking for a good opportunity to betray ⁱHim.

Preparation for Passover

¹²On ^jthe first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb, ^kHis disciples ^lasked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare the Passover so You may eat it?”

¹³So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher ^msays, “Where is the guest room for Me to eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ ¹⁵He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” ¹⁶So the disciples ⁿwent out, entered the city, and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

Betrayal at the Passover

¹⁷When ^oevening came, He arrived with the Twelve. ^p18While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me!”

¹⁹They began to be distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”

²⁰He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping bread with Me in the bowl. ²¹For the ^•Son of Man ^qwill go just as it is written ^rabout Him, ^sbut woe ^tto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

The First Lord’s Supper

²²As ^uthey were eating, He took bread, ^vblessed and broke ^wit, gave it to them, ^xand said, “Take it; ^ythis is My body.” ^z

²³Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, ^aHe gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. ²⁴He said to them, “This is My blood that establishes the covenant; ^bcit is shed ^dfor many. ^e25I assure you: ^fI will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine ^guntil that day when I drink it in a new ^hway ⁱin the kingdom of God.” ^j