Mark 14:1-34 ▼

1 It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the High Priests and Scribes were bent on finding how to seize Him by stratagem and put Him to death.

2 But they said, "Not on the Festival-day, for fear there should be a riot among the people."

3 Now when He was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper, while He was at table, there came a woman with a jar of pure, sweet-scented ointment very costly: she broke the jar and poured the ointment over His head.

4 But there were some who said indignantly among themselves, "Why has the ointment been thus wasted?

5 For that ointment might have been sold for fifteen pounds or more, and the money have been given to the poor." And they were exceedingly angry with her.

6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone: why are you troubling her? She has done a most gracious act towards me.

7 For you always have the poor among you, and whenever you choose you can do acts of kindness to them; but me you have not always.

8 What she could she did: she has perfumed my body in preparation for my burial.

9 And I solemnly tell you that wherever in the whole world the Good News shall be proclaimed, this which she has done shall also be told in remembrance of her."

10 But Judas Iscariot, already mentioned as one of the Twelve, went to the High Priests to betray Jesus to them.

11 They gladly listened to his proposal, and promised to give him a sum of money. So he looked out for an opportunity to betray Him.

12 On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread--the day for killing the Passover lamb--His disciples asked Him, "Where shall we go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

13 So He sent two of His disciples with instructions, saying, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him,

14 and whatever house he enters, tell the master of the house, 'The Rabbi asks, Where is my room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?'

15 Then he will himself show you a large room upstairs, ready furnished: there make preparation for us."

16 So the disciples went out and came to the city, and found everything just as He had told them; and they got the Passover ready.

17 When it was evening, He came with the Twelve.

18 And while they were at table Jesus said, "I solemnly tell you that one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."

19 They were filled with sorrow, and began asking Him, one by one, "Not I, is it?"

20 "It is one of the Twelve," He replied; "he who is dipping his fingers in the dish with me.

21 For the Son of Man is going His way as it is written about Him; but alas for the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It had been a happy thing for that man, had he never been born."

22 Also during the meal He took a Passover biscuit, blessed it, and broke it. He then gave it to them, saying, "Take this, it is my body."

23 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and handed it to them, and they all of them drank from it.

24 "This is my blood," He said, "which is to be poured out on behalf of many--the blood which makes the Covenant sure.

25 I solemnly tell you that never again will I taste the produce of the vine till I shall drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God."

26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 Then said Jesus to them, "All of you are about to stumble and fall, for it is written, 'I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered in all directions.'

28 But after I have risen to life again I will go before you into Galilee."

29 "All may stumble and fall," said Peter, "yet I never will."

30 "I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that to-day--this night--before the cock crows twice, you yourself will three times disown me."

31 "Even if I must die with you," declared Peter again and again, "I will never disown you." In like manner protested also all the disciples.

32 So they came to a place called Gethsemane. There He said to His disciples, "Sit down here till I have prayed."

33 Then He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be full of terror and distress,

34 and He said to them, "My heart is oppressed with anguish to the very point of death: wait here and keep awake."