Matthew 26:1–29

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26When Jesus had finished saying all this, ^eHe told His disciples, ²“You know ^fthat the ^•Passover takes place after two days, and the ^•Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” ^g

³Then the chief priests ^hand the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, ⁱ⁴and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill Him. ^j5“Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.”

The Anointing at Bethany

⁶While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, ^ka man who had a serious skin disease, ⁷a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive fragrant oil. She poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. ⁸When the disciples ^lsaw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹“This might have been sold for a great deal and given to the poor.”

¹⁰But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a noble thing for Me. ¹¹You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me. ^m12By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial. ^13•I assure you: Wherever this gospel ⁿis proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

¹⁴Then ^oone of the Twelve—the man called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ^p15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” So they weighed out 30 pieces of silver for him. ^q16And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray Him.

Betrayal at the Passover

¹⁷On the first day of Unleavened Bread ^rthe disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare the Passover so You may eat it?”

¹⁸“Go into the city to a certain man,” He said, “and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place ^swith My disciples.’ ” ^t19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. ²⁰When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹While they were eating, He said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me.” ^u

²²Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”

²³He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl—he will betray Me. ²⁴The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, ^vbut woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

²⁵Then Judas, His betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” ^w

“You have said it,” He told him.

The First Lord’s Supper

²⁶As they were eating, ^xJesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, ^yand said, “Take and eat it; this is My body.” ^z27Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; ^ait is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. ^b29But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way ^cin My Father’s kingdom ^dwith you.”