Matthew 26
26
The Plan to Kill Jesus
1After Jesus finished saying all these things, he told his followers, 2“You know that the day after tomorrow is the day of the Passover Feast. On that day the Son of Man will be given to his enemies to be crucified.”
3Then the leading priests and the elders had a meeting at the palace of the high priest, named Caiaphas. 4At the meeting, they planned to set a trap to arrest Jesus and kill him. 5But they said, “We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot.”
Perfume for Jesus’ Burial
6Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. 7While Jesus was there, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured this perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.
8His followers were upset when they saw the woman do this. They asked, “Why waste that perfume? 9It could have been sold for a great deal of money and the money given to the poor.”
10Knowing what had happened, Jesus said, “Why are you troubling this woman? She did an excellent thing for me. 11You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12This woman poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Becomes an Enemy of Jesus
14Then one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the leading priests. 15He said, “What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty silver coins. 16After that, Judas watched for the best time to turn Jesus in.
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal
17On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. They said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18Jesus answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: “The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover with my followers at your house.” ’ ” 19The followers did what Jesus told them to do, and they prepared the Passover meal.
20In the evening Jesus was sitting at the table with his twelve followers. 21As they were eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me.”
22This made the followers very sad. Each one began to say to Jesus, “Surely, Lord, I am not the one who will turn against you, am I?”
23Jesus answered, “The man who has dipped his hand with me into the bowl is the one who will turn against me. 24The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But how terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
25Then Judas, who would give Jesus to his enemies, said to Jesus, “Teacher, surely I am not the one, am I?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
The Lord’s Supper
26While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take this bread and eat it; this is my body.”
27Then Jesus took a cup and thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. He said, “Every one of you drink this. 28This is my blood which is the new agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many to forgive their sins. 29I tell you this: I will not drink of this fruit of the vine again until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus’ Followers Will Leave Him
31Jesus told his followers, “Tonight you will all stumble in your faith on account of me, because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.’#Zechariah 13:7
32But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33Peter said, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith because of you, but I will not.”
34Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
35But Peter said, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone
36Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and he began to be very sad and troubled. 38He said to them, “My heart is full of sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me.”
39After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” 40Then Jesus went back to his followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “You men could not stay awake with me for one hour? 41Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.”
42Then Jesus went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this painful thing to be taken from me, and if I must do it, I pray that what you want will be done.”
43Then he went back to his followers, and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were heavy. 44So Jesus left them and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
45Then Jesus went back to his followers and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinful people. 46Get up, we must go. Look, here comes the man who has turned against me.”
Jesus Is Arrested
47While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, came up. With him were many people carrying swords and clubs who had been sent from the leading priests and the Jewish elders of the people. 48Judas had planned to give them a signal, saying, “The man I kiss is Jesus. Arrest him.” 49At once Judas went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Teacher!” and kissed him.
50Jesus answered, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Then the people came and grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51When that happened, one of Jesus’ followers reached for his sword and pulled it out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
52Jesus said to the man, “Put your sword back in its place. All who use swords will be killed with swords. 53Surely you know I could ask my Father, and he would give me more than twelve armies of angels. 54But it must happen this way to bring about what the Scriptures say.”
55Then Jesus said to the crowd, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal. Every day I sat in the Temple teaching, and you did not arrest me there. 56But all these things have happened so that it will come about as the prophets wrote.” Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
Jesus Before the Leaders
57Those people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders were gathered. 58Peter followed far behind to the courtyard of the high priest’s house, and he sat down with the guards to see what would happen to Jesus.
59The leading priests and the whole Jewish council tried to find something false against Jesus so they could kill him. 60Many people came and told lies about him, but the council could find no real reason to kill him. Then two people came and said, 61“This man said, ‘I can destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days.’ ”
62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? Don’t you have something to say about their charges against you?” 63But Jesus said nothing.
Again the high priest said to Jesus, “I command you by the power of the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64Jesus answered, “Those are your words. But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.”
65When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes and said, “This man has said things that are against God! We don’t need any more witnesses; you all heard him say these things against God. 66What do you think?”
The people answered, “He should die.”
67Then the people there spat in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68They said, “Prove to us that you are a prophet, you Christ! Tell us who hit you!”
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus
69At that time, as Peter was sitting in the courtyard, a servant girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70But Peter said to all the people there that he was never with Jesus. He said, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
71When he left the courtyard and was at the gate, another girl saw him. She said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72Again, Peter said he was never with him, saying, “I swear I don’t know this man Jesus!”
73A short time later, some people standing there went to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it.”
74Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, “I don’t know the man.” At once, a rooster crowed. 75And Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter went outside and cried painfully.
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Matthew 26: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Matthew 26
26
The Plot to Kill Jesus
1Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2#Matt. 27:35; Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2; John 13:1; 19:18“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3#Ps. 2:2; John 11:47; Acts 4:25Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and #John 11:47; Acts 4:25–28plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the #Matt. 21:26people.”
The Anointing at Bethany
6And when Jesus was in #Matt. 8:2; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:37–39; John 11:1, 2; 12:1–8Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8#John 12:4But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11#(Deut. 15:11; Mark 14:7); John 12:8For you have the poor with you always, but #(Matt. 18:20; 28:20; John 13:33; 14:19; 16:5, 28; 17:11)Me you do not have always. 12For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My #Matt. 27:60; Luke 23:53; John 19:38–42burial. 13Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
14#Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3–6; John 13:2, 30Then one of the twelve, called #Matt. 10:4Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, #Ex. 21:32; Zech. 11:12; Matt. 27:3“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples
17#Ex. 12:6, 18–20Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to 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 say to him, ‘The Teacher says, #Luke 9:51; John 12:23; 13:1; 17:1“My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.” ’ ”
19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
20#Mark 14:17–21; Luke 22:14; John 13:21When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will #Matt. 26:46; Mark 14:42; Luke 22:21–23; John 6:70, 71; 13:21betray Me.”
22And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23He answered and said, #Ps. 41:9; Luke 22:21; John 13:18“He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24The Son of Man indeed goes just #Ps. 22; Dan. 9:26; Mark 9:12; Luke 24:25, 26, 46; Acts 17:2, 3; 26:22, 23; 1 Cor. 15:3as it is written of Him, but #Matt. 27:3–5; Luke 17:1; Acts 1:16–20woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! #John 17:12; Acts 1:25It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
25Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
26#Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:17–20And as they were eating, #1 Cor. 11:23–25Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; #(1 Pet. 2:24)this is My body.”
27Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, #Mark 14:23“Drink from it, all of you. 28For #(Ex. 24:8; Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:20)this is My blood #Jer. 31:31of the new covenant, which is shed #Matt. 20:28; (Rom. 5:15; Heb. 9:22)for many for the remission of sins. 29But #Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on #Acts 10:41until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30#Mark 14:26–31; Luke 22:31–34And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31Then Jesus said to them, #Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:27; John 16:32“All of you will #(Matt. 11:6)be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
#Zech. 13:7‘I will strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32But after I have been raised, #Matt. 28:7, 10, 16; Mark 14:28; 16:7; John 21:1I will go before you to Galilee.”
33Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
34Jesus said to him, #Matt. 26:74, 75; Mark 14:30; Luke 22:34; John 13:38“Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples.
The Prayer in the Garden
36#Mark 14:32–35; Luke 22:39, 40; John 18:1Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37And He took with Him Peter and #Matt. 4:21; 17:1; Mark 5:37the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38Then He said to them, #John 12:27“My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and #Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; (Heb. 5:7–9)prayed, saying, #John 12:27“O My Father, if it is possible, #Matt. 20:22let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, #Ps. 40:8; Is. 50:5; John 5:30; 6:38; Phil. 2:8not as I will, but as You will.”
40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41#Mark 13:33; 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46; (Eph. 6:18)Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. #Ps. 103:14–16; (Rom. 7:15; 8:23; Gal. 5:17)The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being #Matt. 17:22, 23; 20:18, 19betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
47And #Mark 14:43–50; Luke 22:47–53; John 18:3–11; Acts 1:16while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” #2 Sam. 20:9; (Prov. 27:6)and kissed Him.
50But Jesus said to him, #Ps. 41:9; 55:13“Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51And suddenly, #Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50; John 18:10one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, #Gen. 9:6; Rev. 13:10for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with #2 Kin. 6:17; Dan. 7:10more than twelve legions of angels? 54How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, #Is. 50:6; 53:2–11; Luke 24:25–27, 44–46; John 19:28; Acts 13:29; 17:3; 26:23that it must happen thus?”
55In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56But all this was done that the #Lam. 4:20Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then #Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 18:15all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
57#Matt. 17:22; Mark 14:53–65; Luke 22:54; John 18:12, 19–24And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But #John 18:15, 16Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought #Ex. 20:16; Ps. 35:11false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60but found none. Even though #Ps. 27:12; 35:11; Mark 14:55; Acts 6:13many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last #Deut. 19:15two false witnesses came forward 61and said, “This fellow said, #Matt. 27:40; Mark 14:58; 15:29; John 2:19; Acts 6:14‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
62#Mark 14:60And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63But #Ps. 38:13, 14; Is. 53:7; Matt. 27:12, 14; Acts 8:32Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, #Lev. 5:1; 1 Sam. 14:24, 26; Luke 22:67–71“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
64Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, #Dan. 7:13; Matt. 16:27; 24:30; 25:31; Luke 21:27; (John 1:51; Rom. 14:10; 1 Thess. 4:16); Rev. 1:7hereafter you will see the Son of Man #Ps. 110:1; (Acts 7:55)sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65#2 Kin. 18:37Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His #John 10:30–36blasphemy! 66What do you think?”
They answered and said, #Lev. 24:16; Matt. 20:18; John 19:7“He is deserving of death.”
67#Job 16:10; Is. 50:6; 53:3; Lam. 3:30; Matt. 27:30Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and #Mic. 5:1; Luke 22:63–65; John 19:3others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, #Mark 14:65; Luke 22:64“Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”
Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly
69#Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–62; John 18:16–18, 25–27Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
71And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
73And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your #Mark 14:70; Luke 22:59; John 18:26speech betrays you.”
74Then #Matt. 26:34; Mark 14:71; Luke 22:34; John 13:38he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, #Matt. 26:34; Luke 22:61; John 13:38“Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.