The Plot Against Jesus

26:2–5pp—Mk 14:1,2; Lk 22:1,2

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,k he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passoverl is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembledm in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,n 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.o 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riotp among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

26:6–13pp—Mk 14:3–9
26:6–13Ref—Lk 7:37,38; Jn 12:1–8

6 While Jesus was in Bethanyq in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,a r but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.s 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

26:14–16pp—Mk 14:10,11; Lk 22:3–6

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariott—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.u 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper

26:17–19pp—Mk 14:12–16; Lk 22:7–13
26:20–24pp—Mk 14:17–21
26:26–29pp—Mk 14:22–25; Lk 22:17–20; 1Co 11:23–25

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,v the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”w

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed timex is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”y

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.z 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.a But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him,b said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”c

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke itd and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup,e and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of theb covenant,f which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.g 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with youh in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.i

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

26:31–35pp—Mk 14:27–31; Lk 22:31–34

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me,j for it is written:

“ ‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’c k

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”l

33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”m

35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you,n I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane

26:36–46pp—Mk 14:32–42; Lk 22:40–46

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedeeo along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrowp to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”q

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cupr be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”s

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with met for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.u The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”v

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hourw has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested

26:47–56pp—Mk 14:43–50; Lk 22:47–53

47 While he was still speaking, Judas,x one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”y and kissed him.

50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”d z

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. 51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,a drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.b

52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.c 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?d 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfillede that say it must happen in this way?”

55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,f and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”g Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

26:57–68pp—Mk 14:53–65; Jn 18:12,13,19–24

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphash the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest.i He entered and sat down with the guardsj to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrink were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnessesl came forward.

Finally twom came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”n

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.o

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oathp by the living God:q Tell us if you are the Messiah,r the Son of God.”s

64 “You have said so,”t Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty Oneu and coming on the clouds of heaven.”e v

65 Then the high priest tore his clothesw and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,”x they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.y Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”z

Peter Disowns Jesus

26:69–75pp—Mk 14:66–72; Lk 22:55–62; Jn 18:16–18,25–27

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”a And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Judas Hangs Himself

27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.b 2 So they bound him, led him away and handed him overc to Pilate the governor.d

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him,e saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silverf to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”g

5 So Judas threw the money into the templeh and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.i

6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Bloodj to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:k “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”a l

Jesus Before Pilate

27:11–26pp—Mk 15:2–15; Lk 23:2,3,18–25; Jn 18:29–19:16

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”m

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.n 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”o 14 But Jesus made no reply,p not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisonerq chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesusb Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”r 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,s his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocentt man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dreamu because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.v

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”w Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproarx was starting, he took water and washed his handsy in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”z he said. “It is your responsibility!”a

25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”b

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,c and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27:27–31pp—Mk 15:16–20

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetoriumd and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,e 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.f 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.g 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.h

The Crucifixion of Jesus

27:33–44pp—Mk 15:22–32; Lk 23:33–43; Jn 19:17–24

32 As they were going out,i they met a man from Cyrene,j named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.k 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).l 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall;m but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.n 36 And sitting down, they kept watcho over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

38 Two rebels were crucified with him,p one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their headsq 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,r save yourself!s Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”t 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel!u Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believev in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue himw now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

27:45–56pp—Mk 15:33–41; Lk 23:44–49; Jn 19:29–30

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darknessx came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,c lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).d y

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar,z put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.a

51 At that moment the curtain of the templeb was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks splitc 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection ande went into the holy cityd and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guardinge Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”f

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.g 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph,f and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.h

The Burial of Jesus

27:57–61pp—Mk 15:42–47; Lk 23:50–56; Jn 19:38–42

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tombi that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’j 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the bodyk and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,”l Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a sealm on the stonen and posting the guard.o

Jesus Has Risen

28:1–8pp—Mk 16:1–8; Lk 24:1–10; Jn 20:1–8

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalenep and the other Maryq went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake,r for an angels of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stonet and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.u 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,v for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.w Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.x There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them.y “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothersz to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report

11 While the women were on their way, some of the guardsa went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him awayb while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor,c we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.d 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.e 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,f baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,g 20 and teachingh them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with youi always, to the very end of the age.”j