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 killed on a cross.”
3Then the leading priests and the Jewish elders had a meeting at the palace of the high priest. The high priest’s name was 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. The people might cause a riot.”
A Woman with Perfume for Jesus
6Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the house of Simon, who had a harmful skin disease. 7While Jesus was there, a woman came to him. She had an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. She poured this perfume on Jesus’ head while he was eating.
8His followers saw the woman do this and were upset. They asked, “Why waste that perfume? 9It could be sold for a great deal of money, and the money could be given to the poor.”
10But Jesus knew what happened. He said, “Why are you troubling this woman? She did a very beautiful 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. The Good News will be told to people in all the world. And in every place where it is preached, what this woman has done will be told. And people will remember her.”
Judas Becomes an Enemy of Jesus
14Then 1 of the 12 followers went to talk to the leading priests. This was the follower named Judas Iscariot. 15He said, “I will give Jesus to you. What will you pay me for doing this?” The priests gave Judas 30 silver coins. 16After that, Judas waited for the best time to give Jesus to the priests.
Jesus Eats the Passover Feast
17On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. They said, “We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover Feast. Where do you want to have the feast?”
18Jesus answered, “Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him that the Teacher says, ‘The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover Feast with my followers at your house.’” 19The followers did what Jesus told them to do, and they prepared the Passover Feast.
20In the evening Jesus was sitting at the table with his 12 followers. 21They were all eating. Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. One of you 12 will turn against me.”
22This made the followers very sad. Each one said 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. The Scriptures say this will happen. But how terrible it will be for the person who gives the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
25Then Judas said to Jesus, “Teacher, surely I am not the one. Am I?” (Judas is the one who would give Jesus to his enemies.)
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
The Lord’s Supper
26While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body.”
27Then Jesus took a cup. He thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. He said, “Every one of you drink this. 28This is my blood which begins the new# Some Greek copies do not have this word. Compare Luke 22:20. 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# Product of the grapevine; this may also be translated “wine.” again until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30They sang a hymn. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus’ Followers Will All Leave Him
31Jesus told the followers, “Tonight you will lose your faith because of me. It is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.’ Zechariah 13:7
32But after I rise from death, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
33Peter said, “All the other followers may lose their faith because of you. But I will never lose my faith.”
34Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. Tonight you will say you don’t know me. You will say this three times before the rooster crows.”
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 told Peter and the two sons of Zebedee to come with him. Then Jesus began to be very sad and troubled. 38He said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, “My heart is full of sorrow and breaking with sadness. Stay here with me and watch.”
39Then Jesus walked a little farther away from them. He fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, do not give me this cup# Jesus is talking about the bad things that will happen to him. Accepting these things will be very hard, like drinking a cup of something that tastes very bitter. of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” 40Then Jesus went back to his followers and found them asleep. Jesus said to Peter, “You men could not stay awake with me for one hour? 41Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right. But your body is weak.”
42Then Jesus went away a second time. He prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this painful thing to be taken from me, and if I must do it, then I pray that what you want will be done.”
43Then Jesus went back to the followers. Again he found them asleep, because their eyes were heavy. 44So Jesus left them and went away one more time and prayed. This third time he prayed, he said the same thing.
45Then Jesus went back to the followers and said, “You are still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be given to sinful people. 46Get up. We must go. Here comes the man who has turned against me.”
Jesus Is Arrested
47While Jesus was still speaking, Judas came up. Judas was 1 of the 12 followers. He had many people with him. They had been sent from the leading priests and the elders of the people. They carried swords and clubs. 48Judas had planned to give them a signal. He had said, “The man I kiss is Jesus. Arrest him.” 49At once Judas went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Teacher!” Then Judas kissed him.
50Jesus answered, “Friend, do the thing you came to do.”
Then the men came and grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51When that happened, one of Jesus’ followers reached for his sword and pulled it out. The follower struck the servant of the high priest with the sword 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 12 armies of angels. 54But this thing must happen this way so that it will be as 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. You did not arrest me there. 56But all these things have happened so that it will be as the prophets wrote.” Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
Jesus Before the Leaders
57Those men who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the Jewish elders were gathered there. 58Peter followed Jesus but did not go near him. He followed Jesus to the courtyard of the high priest’s house. He sat down with the guards to see what would happen to Jesus.
59The leading priests and the Jewish council tried to find something false against Jesus so that they could kill him. 60Many people came and told lies about him. But the council could find no real reason to kill Jesus. 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, “You must swear to this. I command you by the power of the living God to tell us the truth. Tell us, are you the Christ, the Son of God?”
64Jesus answered, “Yes, I am. 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 you will see him coming in clouds in the sky.”
65When the high priest heard this, he was very angry. 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 is guilty, and he must die.”
67Then the people there spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. Others slapped Jesus. 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, Peter was sitting in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him and said, “You were with Jesus, that man from Galilee.”
70But Peter said that he was never with Jesus. He said this to all the people there. Peter said, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
71Then he left the courtyard. At the gate, another girl saw him. She said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72Again, Peter said that he was never with Jesus. Peter said, “I swear that I don’t know this man Jesus!”
73A short time later, some people standing there went to Peter. They said, “We know you are one of those men who followed Jesus. We know this because of the way you talk.”
74Then Peter began to curse. He said, “May a curse fall on me if I’m not telling the truth. I don’t know the man.” After Peter said this, a rooster crowed. 75Then he 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: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
St Matthew 26
26
1AND it came to pass, when Jesus had ended all these words, he said to his disciples:
2You know that after two days shall be the pasch, and the son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified:
3Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas:
4And they consulted together, that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus, and put him to death.
5But they said: Not on the festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people.
6And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper,
7There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at table.
8And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste?
9For this might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
10And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
11For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always.
12For she in pouring this ointment upon my body, hath done it for my burial.
13Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memory of her.
14Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests,
15And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.
16And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.
17And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the pasch?
18But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: the master saith, My time is near at hand, with thee I make the pasch with my disciples.
19And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the pasch.
20But when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples.
21And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me.
22And they being very much troubled, began every one to say: Is it I, Lord?
23But he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
24The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him, if that man had not been born.
25And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.
26And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body.
27And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this.
28For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins.
29And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.
30And a hymn being said, they went out unto mount Olivet.
31Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed.
32But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33And Peter answering, said to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized.
34Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.
35Peter saith to him: Yea, though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples.
36Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray.
37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad.
38Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me.
39And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me?
41Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak.
42Again the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done.
43And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy.
44And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word.
45Then he cometh to his disciples, and saith to them: Sleep ye now and take your rest; behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46Rise, let us go: behold he is at hand that will betray me.
47As he yet spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the people.
48And he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, hold him fast.
49And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him.
50And Jesus said to him: Friend, whereto art thou come? Then they came up, and laid hands on Jesus, and held him.
51And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword: and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear.
52Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
53Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of angels?
54How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must be done?
55In that same hour Jesus said to the multitudes: You are come out as it were to a robber with swords and clubs to apprehend me. I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you laid not hands on me.
56Now all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving him, fled.
57But they holding Jesus led him to Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the ancients were assembled.
58And Peter followed him afar off, even to the court of the high priest. And going in, he sat with the servants, that he might see the end.
59And the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death:
60And they found not, whereas many false witnesses had come in. And last of all there came two false witnesses:
61And they said: This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three days to rebuild it.
62And the high priest rising up, said to him: Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee?
63But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the Son of God.
64Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65Then the high priests rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy:
66What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of death.
67Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him: and others struck his face with the palms of their hands,
68Saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ, who is he that struck thee?
69But Peter sat without in the court: and there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean.
70But he denied before them all, saying: I know not what thou sayest.
71And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw him, and she saith to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.
72And again he denied with an oath, I know not the man.
73And after a little while they came that stood by, and said to Peter: Surely thou also art one of them; for even thy speech doth discover thee.
74Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going forth, he wept bitterly.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.