A Plot To Kill Jesus

(Matthew 26.1-5; Luke 22.1,2; John 11.45-53)

1 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Thin Bread. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were planning how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death. 2They were saying, “We must not do it during the festival, because the people will riot.”

At Bethany

(Matthew 26.6-13; John 12.1-8)

3 Jesus was eating in Bethany at the home of Simon, who once had leprosy,+ when a woman came in with a very expensive bottle of sweet-smelling perfume.+ After breaking it open, she poured the perfume on Jesus' head. 4This made some of the guests angry, and they complained, “Why such a waste? 5We could have sold this perfume for more than 300 silver coins and given the money to the poor!” So they started saying cruel things to the woman.

6But Jesus said:

Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won't always have me here with you. 8She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. 9You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.

Judas and the Chief Priests

(Matthew 26.14-16; Luke 22.3-6)

10Judas Iscariot+ was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests and offered to help them arrest Jesus. 11They were glad to hear this, and they promised to pay him. So Judas started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.

Jesus Eats with His Disciples

(Matthew 26.17-25; Luke 22.7-14,21-23; John 13.21-30)

12It was the first day of the Festival of Thin Bread, and the Passover lambs were being killed. Jesus' disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?”

13Jesus said to two of the disciples, “Go into the city, where you will meet a man carrying a jar of water.+ Follow him, 14and when he goes into a house, say to the owner, ‘Our teacher wants to know if you have a room where he can eat the Passover meal with his disciples.’ 15The owner will take you upstairs and show you a large room furnished and ready for you to use. Prepare the meal there.”

16The two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.

17-18 While Jesus and the twelve disciples were eating together that evening, he said, “The one who will betray me is now eating with me.”

19This made the disciples sad, and one after another they said to Jesus, “You surely don't mean me!”

20He answered, “It is one of you twelve men who is eating from this dish with me. 21The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But it is going to be terrible for the one who betrays me. That man would be better off if he had never been born.”

The Lord's Supper

(Matthew 26.26-30; Luke 22.14-23; 1 Corinthians 11.23-25)

22During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this. It is my body.”

23Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He gave it to his disciples, and they all drank some. 24 Then he said, “This is my blood, which is poured out for many people, and with it God makes his agreement. 25From now on I will not drink any wine, until I drink new wine in God's kingdom.” 26Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Peter's Promise

(Matthew 26.31-35; Luke 22.31-34; John 13.36-38)

27 Jesus said to his disciples, “All of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say,

‘I will strike down

the shepherd,

and the sheep

will be scattered.’

28 But after I am raised to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”

29Peter spoke up, “Even if all the others reject you, I never will!”

30Jesus replied, “This very night before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me.”

31But Peter was so sure of himself that he said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don't know you!”

All the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays

(Matthew 26.36-46; Luke 22.39-46)

32Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, “Sit here while I pray.”

33Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34told them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”

35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, “Father,+ if it is possible, don't let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don't make me suffer by drinking from this cup.+ But do what you want, and not what I want.”

37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, “Are you asleep? Can't you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”

39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.

41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, “Are you still sleeping and resting?+ Enough of this! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here.”

Jesus Is Arrested

(Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12)

43Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a mob of men armed with swords and clubs were with him. They had been sent by the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses. 44Judas had told them ahead of time, “Arrest the man I greet with a kiss.+ Tie him up tight and lead him away.”

45Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” Then Judas kissed him, 46and the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

48Jesus said to the mob, “Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49 Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true.”

50All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.

Jesus Is Questioned by the Council

(Matthew 26.57-68; Luke 22.54,55,63-71; John 18.13,14,19-24)

53Jesus was led off to the high priest. Then the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses all met together. 54Peter had followed at a distance, and when he reached the courtyard of the high priest's house, he sat down with the guards to warm himself beside a fire.

55The chief priests and the whole council tried to find someone to accuse Jesus of a crime, so they could put him to death. But they could not find anyone to accuse him. 56Many people did tell lies against Jesus, but they did not agree on what they said. 57Finally, some men stood up and lied about him. They said, 58 “We heard him say he would tear down this temple that we built. He also claimed that in three days he would build another one without any help.” 59But even then they did not agree on what they said.

60The high priest stood up in the council and asked Jesus, “Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?” 61But Jesus kept quiet and did not say a word. The high priest asked him another question, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the glorious God?”+

62 “Yes, I am!” Jesus answered.

“Soon you will see

the Son of Man

sitting at the right side+

of God All-Powerful,

and coming with the clouds

of heaven.”

63At once the high priest ripped his robe apart and shouted, “Why do we need more witnesses? 64 You heard him claim to be God! What is your decision?” They all agreed he should be put to death.

65Some of the people started spitting on Jesus. They blindfolded him, hit him with their fists, and said, “Tell us who hit you!” Then the guards took charge of Jesus and beat him.

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.69-75; Luke 22.56-62; John 18.15-18,25-27)

66While Peter was still in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came up 67and saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She stared at him and said, “You were with Jesus from Nazareth!”

68Peter replied, “That isn't true! I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any idea what you mean.” He went out to the gate, and a rooster crowed.+

69The servant girl saw Peter again and said to the people standing there, “This man is one of them!”

70“No, I'm not!” Peter replied.

A little while later some of the people said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them. You're a Galilean!”

71This time Peter began to curse and swear, “I don't even know the man you're talking about!”

72At once the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had told him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me.” So Peter started crying.