26 When Jesus had finished all these words,[206] he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that the Passover will be in two days’ time, and the Son of Man is to be handed over to be crucified.”
    3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, Caiaphas. 4 They plotted to seize Jesus on some pretext and kill him. 5 But they were saying, “Let us not do this during the festival, or the people might riot.”
    6 While Jesus was in Bethany, at Simon the leper’s house, 7 a woman came over to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. She poured it on Jesus’ head while he was sitting eating. But when the disciples saw what she did, they were indignant. 8 “What is all this waste for?” they questioned. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 Aware of what they were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why are you upset at this woman? She has done something good for me.  11 You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this perfume on my body she has prepared me for burial.  13 I am telling you the truth: wherever this Gospel[207] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be reported, in memory of her.”
    14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests 15 and asked them, “What will you give me for handing Jesus over to you?” They paid him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on he looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
    17 On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread,[208] the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?” [209]  18 Jesus said, “Go into the city and find this particular man, and say to him, ‘The teacher says, “My time is near. I am coming to keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
    20 When evening came he sat down to eat with the twelve disciples.
   21 While they were eating he said to them, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.” 22 Terribly upset, each one of them began asking him,“lord, it is not me, is it?” 23 Jesus replied, “The one who dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but shame on the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” 25 Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus, asked, “It is not me, is it, rabbi?” Jesus replied, “You said it.”
    26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to the disciples. “Take and eat this. It is my body,” Jesus said.
   27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them. “Drink from it, all of you,” he said to them. 28 “This is my blood which ratifies the covenant,[210] poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [211] 29 But I tell you, I will not drink this fruit of the vine[212] from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the Kingdom[213] of my Father.” 30 After they had sung a song, they went to the Mount of Olives.
    31 “All of you will fall away because of me tonight,” Jesus said to them. “It is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the flock of sheep will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”  33 But Peter objected, “Even if everyone else falls away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “I am telling you the truth: this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” All the disciples said the same thing.
    36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane and said to them, “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to suffer sorrow and distress.
   38 Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake with me.”
    39 He went a little further, fell face down, and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup of suffering pass from me, yet not as I will but as You will.” 40 He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “You could not stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray, so that you do not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
    42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, then may Your will be done.” 43 He went back and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy with sleep. 44 Then he left them once more, went off and prayed a third time, saying the same things. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the time has come, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up; let us go! Look, the one who is betraying me is here.”
    47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 The betrayer had given them a signal: “The one I kiss, that is him — arrest him.” 49 Immediately Judas came up to Jesus and said, “Hello, rabbi,” and kissed him. 50 “My friend, do what you came to do,” Jesus said to Judas. So they came and seized Jesus, and arrested him.
    51 One of those with Jesus reached for his sword and pulled it out, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword away. Everyone who picks up the sword will perish by the sword.[214] 53 Do you think I cannot ask my Father, and He would send me at once more than twelve legions of angels? 54 Then how will the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must happen like this?”
    55 Then Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I was a criminal?[215] Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not arrest me. 56 But all this has happened to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.
    57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the religious teachers and elders were gathered. 58 Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest. He sat there with the guards to see the outcome.
    59 The chief priests and the whole council were trying to find some false evidence against Jesus, so that they could kill him. 60 But they could not find anything, even though many false witnesses came forward. Eventually two came forward 61 and reported, “This man said, ‘I can destroy God’s temple and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to say anything in reply? What is it that these men are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I place you under oath by the living God. Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus replied, “You have said so.[216] And I tell you that in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the One with power,[217] and coming on the clouds of heaven.” [218]
    65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any further witness? Look, you have now heard the blasphemy! 66 What is your decision?” They answered, “He deserves to die!”
    67 Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists. Some of them slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, you ‘Messiah’ — who just hit you?”
    69 Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.” 70 But he denied it in front of everyone. “I do not know what you are talking about,” he said. 71 He went out into the entrance way where someone else saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 Once again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know this man.” 73 A little while later the people standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them. Your accent gives you away.” 74 Then he started to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and wept bitterly.