Matthew 26:14–46

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

26:14–16pp—Mk 14:10,11; Lk 22:3–6

¹⁴Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot^t—went to the chief priests ¹⁵and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.^{u 16}From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper

26:17–19pp—Mk 14:12–16; Lk 22:7–13 26:20–24pp—Mk 14:17–21 26:26–29pp—Mk 14:22–25; Lk 22:17–20; 1Co 11:23–25

¹⁷On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^v the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”^w

¹⁸He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time^x is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” ¹⁹So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”^y

²²They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.^{z 24}The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.^a But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵Then Judas, the one who would betray him,^b said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”^c

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it^d and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷Then he took a cup,^e and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the^b covenant,^f which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.^{g 29}I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you^h in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.ⁱ

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

26:31–35pp—Mk 14:27–31; Lk 22:31–34

³¹Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me,^j for it is written:

“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’^ck

³²But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^l

³³Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^m

³⁵But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you,ⁿ I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane

26:36–46pp—Mk 14:32–42; Lk 22:40–46

³⁶Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee^o along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^p to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”^q

³⁹Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup^r be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”^s

⁴⁰Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me^t for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^u The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴²He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”^v

⁴³When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour^w has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”