Matthew 26
Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter EditionKJP 
1And when Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said to His disciples, 2“As you know, the feast of the Passover is two days away - and the Son of man will be betrayed and handed over to be crucified”.

3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4And they plotted how they might arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him. 5But they said, “Not on during the feast day, or there may an uproar or riot among the people”.

6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the home of Simon, the leper, 7A woman with an alabaster box of very precious ointment came and poured it on His head, as He was eating. 8But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, and asked, “To what purpose is this waste? 9For this ointment might have been sold for a high price, and given to the poor”. 10When Jesus became aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has wrought (done) a good deed for Me. 11For the poor you will always have with you; but Me you will not always have. 12For when she poured this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial. 13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall this, that this woman has done, also be told for a memorial of her.”

14Then one of the twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests, 15And he asked them, “What will you give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they agreed with him for thirty pieces of silver, which they counted out to him. 16And from then on, he looked for an opportunity to betray Him.

17Now on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, asking Him, “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 Master says, “My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples’”. 19And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. 20Now when evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I tell you that one of you shall betray Me”. 22And they were very dismayed, and began to say to Him, one after another, “Lord, is it I?” 23And He answered, “He that has dipped his hand with Me in the dish is the one who shall betray Me. 24The Son of man will go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been better for that man if he had never been born”. 25Then Judas, who betrayed Him, said, “Master, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had blessed it (given thanks), and broken it, and He gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat; this is My body”. 27And then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink all of you from it; 28For this is My blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed (poured out) for the forgiveness (remission) of sins for many. 29But I say to you, ‘I will not drink hereafter of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father's kingdom’”.

30And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31Then Jesus said to them, “All you shall be offended because of Me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the flock of sheep shall be scattered’. 32But after I have again risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee”. 33Peter replied to Him, “Even if all others should desert You, I will never be offended”. 34Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, ‘That this night, before the cock (rooster) crows, you shall deny Me three times’”. 35Peter replied to Him, “Though I have to die with You, yet I will never deny You”. And all the disciples vowed the same.

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and told them, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray”. 37And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and became anguished and very distressed. 38Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow, even to the point of death. Stay here, and keep watch with Me.” 39And He went a little farther, and fell with His face to the ground, and prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I want, but as You will”. 40And He returned to the disciples, and found them asleep, and He asked Peter, “Could you not watch with Me for one hour? 41Watch and pray, so that you do not fal into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. 42He went away the second time, and prayed, “O My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away from Me, except that I drink it, may Your will be done”. 43And when He came back, He again found them asleep; for their eyes were heavy. 44So He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, praying the same words. 45Then He returned to His disciples, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest; see, the hour has come when the Son of man is betrayed and is given into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going! Here comes he that betrays Me.”

47And while He yet spoke, Judas, one of the twelve, and a great mob with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now Judas, His betrayer, had given them a sign, “Whomever I shall kiss, that same is He; hold Him fast”. 49And he came directly to Jesus, and said, “Hail, Master”; and kissed Him. 50And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come to do.” Then they came, and seized Jesus, and arrested Him.

51And at that, one of those who was with Jesus drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52Then Jesus said to him, “Put away your sword; for all who resort to the sword shall die by the sword. 53Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall at once give Me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that say this must be?” 55Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out against a robber, with swords and clubs. to arrest Me? Every day I sat with you, teaching in the temple, and you never arrested Me.” 56But all this was done, that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples deserted Him, and fled.

57And those that arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes, teachers of the Law, and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest's court, and went in, and sat with the guards, to see the outcome. 59Now the chief priests, elders, and the entire Sanhedrin, sought false evidence and witnesses against Jesus, to ‘justify’ putting Him to death; 60But they found no evidence; even though many false witnesses came. Finally, two false witnesses came forward, 61And declared, “This Fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days’”. 62And then the high priest arose, and said to Him, “Are You going to answer nothing? What do You have to say in response to what these testify against You?” 63But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You (demand) by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, (the Messiah), the Son of God”. 64Then Jesus answered him, “You have said so; but I say to all of you, ‘Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the throne of Almighty God, and coming in the clouds of heaven’”. 65Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy; what need have we for further witnesses? Behold, now you have all heard His blasphemy. 66What do you think?” (What is your verdict?) They answered and said, ‘He is worthy of death.’” 67Then did they spit in His face, and buffet Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, 68 And said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ (Messiah), Who is he that hit You?”

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and a maid (servant girl) came to him, and said, “You were also with Jesus of Galilee”. 70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I know not what you are talking about”. 71And when he had gone out onto the porch, another maid (servant girl) saw him, and said to those that were there, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth”. 72And again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man”. 73And after a while those that stood by came to him, and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them; for your speech (accent/dialect) betrays you”. 74Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, “I do not know the Man”. And immediately the cock (rooster) crowed. 75And then Peter remembered the words of Jesus, Who had said to him, “Before the cock (rooster) crows, you shall deny Me three times.” And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition
© 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

Bible Hub
Matthew 25
Top of Page
Top of Page