Matthew 26
26
The Plan to Kill Jesus
1Jesus finished saying all these things. Then he said to his disciples, 2“As you know, the Passover Feast is two days away. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross.”
3Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. 4They made plans to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. 5“But not during the feast,” they said. “The people may stir up trouble.”
A Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus
6Jesus was in Bethany. He was in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. 7A woman came to Jesus with a special sealed jar of very expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on his head while he was at the table.
8When the disciples saw this, they became angry. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9“The perfume could have been sold at a high price. The money could have been given to poor people.”
10Jesus was aware of this. So he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me. 12She poured the perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. 13What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere this good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.”
Judas Agrees to Hand Jesus Over
14One of the 12 disciples went to the chief priests. His name was Judas Iscariot. 15He asked, “What will you give me if I hand Jesus over to you?” So they counted out 30 silver coins for him. 16From then on, Judas watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.
The Lord’s Supper
17It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The disciples came to Jesus. They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ ” 19So the disciples did what Jesus had told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal.
20When evening came, Jesus was at the table with his 12 disciples. 21While they were eating, he said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you will hand me over to my enemies.”
22The disciples became very sad. One after the other, they began to say to him, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord, do you?”
23Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will hand me over. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25Judas was the one who was going to hand him over. He said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Teacher, do you?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
26While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”
27Then he took a cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. He said, “All of you drink from it. 28This is my blood of the covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many people. 29Here is what I tell you. From now on, I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Says That the Disciples Will Turn Away
31Jesus told them, “This very night you will all turn away because of me. It is written that the Lord said,
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd down.
Then the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ (Zechariah 13:7)
32But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33Peter replied, “All the others may turn away because of you. But I never will.”
34“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “It will happen tonight. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
35But Peter said, “I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36Then Jesus went with his disciples 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 along with him. He began to be sad and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is very sad. I feel close to death. Stay here. Keep watch with me.”
39He went a little farther. Then he fell with his face to the ground. He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.”
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41“Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
42Jesus went away a second time. He prayed, “My Father, is it possible for this cup to be taken away? But if I must drink it, may what you want be done.”
43Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44So he left them and went away once more. For the third time he prayed the same thing.
45Then he returned to the disciples. He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come. The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners. 46Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!”
Jesus Is Arrested
47While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. He was one of the 12 disciples. A large crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests and the elders of the people had sent them. 48Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, had arranged a signal with them. “The one I kiss is the man,” he said. “Arrest him.” 49So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.
50Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came to do.”
Then the men stepped forward. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51At that moment, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword. He pulled it out and struck the slave of the high priest with it. He cut off the slave’s ear.
52“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who use the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I can’t ask my Father for help? He would send an army of more than 70,000 angels right away. 54But then how would the Scriptures come true? They say it must happen in this way.”
55At that time Jesus spoke to the crowd. “Am I leading a band of armed men against you?” he asked. “Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courtyard teaching. And you didn’t arrest me. 56But all this has happened so that the words of the prophets would come true.” Then all the disciples left him and ran away.
Jesus Is Taken to the Sanhedrin
57Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders had come together there. 58Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see what would happen.
59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. 60But they did not find any proof, even though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally, two other witnesses came forward. 61They said, “This fellow claimed, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God. I can build it again in three days.’ ”
62Then the high priest stood up. He asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges that these men are bringing against you?” 63But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I am commanding you in the name of the living God. May he judge you if you don’t tell the truth. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But here is what I say to all of you. From now on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65Then the high priest tore his clothes. He said, “He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. 66What do you think?”
“He must die!” they answered.
67Then they spit in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68They said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit you?”
Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus
69Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. A female servant came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70But in front of all of them, Peter said he was not. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71Then he went out to the gate leading into the courtyard. There another servant saw him. She said to the people, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72Again he said he was not. With a curse he said, “I don’t know the man!”
73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter. “You must be one of them,” they said. “The way you talk gives you away.”
74Then Peter began to curse and said to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Right away a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said. “The rooster will crow,” Jesus had told him. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.
Currently Selected:
Matthew 26: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.