Matthew 26:14–46

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

¹⁴Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver.^{* 16}And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

¹⁷On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ”^{* 19}So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.^*

²⁰When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve disciples,^{x 21}and while they were eating he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²²And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” ²³He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.^{* 24}The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” ²⁵Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it^y he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”^{* 27}Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, ²⁸for this is my blood of the^z covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.^{* 29}I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”^*

³⁰When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^*

Peter’s Denial Foretold

³¹Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away^a because of me this night, for it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd,

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

³²“But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”^{* 33}Peter said to him, “Even if all fall away^b because of you, I will never fall away.”^{c 34}Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”^{* 35}Peter said to him, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And so said all the disciples.^*

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

³⁶Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated.^{* 38}Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.”^{* 39}And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.”^{* 40}Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?^{* 41}Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;^d the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”^{* 42}Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”^{* 43}Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. ⁴⁵Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Now the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.^{* 46}Get up, let us be going. Look, my betrayer is at hand.”