Matthew 26:1–29

The Chief Priests and Elders Plot to Kill Jesus

26And it happened that when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ²“You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of Man will be handed over^a in order to be crucified.”

³Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas, ⁴and plotted in order that they could arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.^{* 5}But they were saying, “Not during the feast, so that there will not be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus’ Anointing at Bethany

⁶Now while^* Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷a woman came up to him holding an alabaster flask of very expensive perfumed oil, and poured it^* out on his head while he^* was reclining at table. ⁸And when^* the disciples saw it^* they were indignant, saying, “Why^b this waste? ⁹For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor!” ¹⁰But Jesus, knowing this,^* said to them, “Why do you cause trouble for the woman? For she has done a good deed for me. ¹¹For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me. ¹²For when^* this woman poured this ointment on my body, she did it^* in order to prepare me for burial. ¹³Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Arranges to Betray Jesus

¹⁴Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and^* said, “What are you willing to give me if I in turn deliver him to you?” So they set out for him thirty silver coins. ¹⁶And from that time on, he began seeking a favorable opportunity in order that he could betray him.

Jesus’ Final Passover with the Disciples

¹⁷Now on the first day^* of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸And he said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am celebrating the Passover with you with my disciples.” ’ ¹⁹And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover. ²⁰And when it^* was evening, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.^{c 21}And while^* they were eating he said, “Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me.” ²²And greatly distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely I am not he, am I,^d Lord?” ²³And he answered and^* said, “The one who dips his^e hand in the bowl with me—this one will betray me. ²⁴The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born.” ²⁵And Judas, the one who was betraying him, answered and^* said, “Surely I am not he, am I,^f Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said it.”^*

The Lord’s Supper

²⁶Now while^* they were eating Jesus took bread and, after^* giving thanks, he broke it,^* and giving it^* to the disciples, he said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” ²⁷And after^* taking the cup and giving thanks he gave it^* to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, ²⁸for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹But I tell you, from now on I will never drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.”