Matthew 26
The Plot to Kill Jesus
1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,
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3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy.
7While he was eating,
8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10But Jesus, aware of this, replied,
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
The Last Supper 17On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
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20When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table
22Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23He replied,
25Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”And Jesus told him,
26As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying,
27And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said,
30Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31On the way, Jesus told them,
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33Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”
34Jesus replied,
35“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said,
39He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying,
40Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter,
42Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed,
44So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again.
45Then he came to the disciples and said,
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested 47And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
50Jesus said,
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55Then Jesus said to the crowd,
Jesus before the Council 57Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered. 58Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end.
59Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council
62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64Jesus replied,
65Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. 66What is your verdict?”“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”
67Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”
Peter Denies Jesus 69Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
70But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.
72Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
73A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
74Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
75Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: