Matthew 26
26
Anointed for Burial
1-2When Jesus finished saying these things, he told his disciples, “You know that Passover comes in two days. That’s when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion.”
3-5At that very moment, the party of high priests and religious leaders was meeting in the chambers of the Chief Priest named Caiaphas, conspiring to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. “We don’t want a riot on our hands,” they said.
6-9When Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper, a woman came up to him as he was eating dinner and anointed him with a bottle of very expensive perfume. When the disciples saw what was happening, they were furious. “That’s criminal! This could have been sold for a lot and the money handed out to the poor.”
10-13When Jesus realized what was going on, he intervened. “Why are you giving this woman a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives, but not me. When she poured this perfume on my body, what she really did was anoint me for burial. You can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she has just done is going to be remembered and admired.”
14-16That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests and said, “What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” They settled on thirty silver pieces. He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
The Traitor
17On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?”
18-19He said, “Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.’” The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions to the letter, and prepared the Passover meal.
20-21After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around the table. During the meal, he said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators.”
22They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it, Master?”
23-24Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”
25Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?”
Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.”
The Bread and the Cup
26-29During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:
Take, eat.
This is my body.
Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:
Drink this, all of you.
This is my blood,
God’s new covenant poured out for many people
for the forgiveness of sins.
“I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.”
30They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.
Gethsemane
31-32Then Jesus told them, “Before the night’s over, you’re going to fall to pieces because of what happens to me. There is a Scripture that says,
I’ll strike the shepherd;
dazed and confused, the sheep will be scattered.
But after I am raised up, I, your Shepherd, will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee.”
33Peter broke in, “Even if everyone else falls to pieces on account of you, I won’t.”
34“Don’t be so sure,” Jesus said. “This very night, before the rooster crows up the dawn, you will deny me three times.”
35Peter protested, “Even if I had to die with you, I would never deny you.” All the others said the same thing.
36-38Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”
39Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”
40-41When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”
42He then left them a second time. Again he prayed, “My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I’m ready. Do it your way.”
43-44When he came back, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn’t keep their eyes open. This time he let them sleep on, and went back a third time to pray, going over the same ground one last time.
45-46When he came back the next time, he said, “Are you going to sleep on and make a night of it? My time is up, the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the hands of sinners. Get up! Let’s get going! My betrayer is here.”
With Swords and Clubs
47-49The words were barely out of his mouth when Judas (the one from the Twelve) showed up, and with him a gang from the high priests and religious leaders brandishing swords and clubs. The betrayer had worked out a sign with them: “The one I kiss, that’s the one—seize him.” He went straight to Jesus, greeted him, “How are you, Rabbi?” and kissed him.
50-51Jesus said, “Friend, why this charade?”
Then they came on him—grabbed him and roughed him up. One of those with Jesus pulled his sword and, taking a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant, cut off his ear.
52-54Jesus said, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All who use swords are destroyed by swords. Don’t you realize that I am able right now to call to my Father, and twelve companies—more, if I want them—of fighting angels would be here, battle-ready? But if I did that, how would the Scriptures come true that say this is the way it has to be?”
55-56Then Jesus addressed the mob: “What is this—coming out after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I have been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. You’ve done it this way to confirm and fulfill the prophetic writings.”
Then all the disciples cut and ran.
False Charges
57-58The gang that had seized Jesus led him before Caiaphas the Chief Priest, where the religion scholars and leaders had assembled. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Then he slipped in and mingled with the servants, watching to see how things would turn out.
59-60a The high priests, conspiring with the Jewish Council, tried to cook up charges against Jesus in order to sentence him to death. But even though many stepped up, making up one false accusation after another, nothing was believable.
60b-61 Finally two men came forward with this: “He said, ‘I can tear down this Temple of God and after three days rebuild it.’”
62The Chief Priest stood up and said, “What do you have to say to the accusation?”
63Jesus kept silent.
Then the Chief Priest said, “I command you by the authority of the living God to say if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64Jesus was curt: “You yourself said it. And that’s not all. Soon you’ll see it for yourself:
The Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven.”
65-66At that, the Chief Priest lost his temper, ripping his robes, yelling, “He blasphemed! Why do we need witnesses to accuse him? You all heard him blaspheme! Are you going to stand for such blasphemy?”
They all said, “Death! That seals his death sentence.”
67-68Then they were spitting in his face and knocking him around. They jeered as they slapped him: “Prophesy, Messiah: Who hit you that time?”
Denial in the Courtyard
69All this time, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. One servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean.”
70In front of everybody there, he denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
71As he moved over toward the gate, someone else said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”
72Again he denied it, salting his denial with an oath: “I swear, I never laid eyes on the man.”
73Shortly after that, some bystanders approached Peter. “You’ve got to be one of them. Your accent gives you away.”
74-75Then he got really nervous and swore. “I don’t know the man!”
Just then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried.
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Matthew 26: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Matthew 26
26
1And it came to pass, when Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples,
2‘Ye have known that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of Man is delivered up to be crucified.’
3Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, to the court of the chief priest who was called Caiaphas;
4and they consulted together that they might take Jesus by guile, and kill [him],
5and they said, ‘Not in the feast, that there may not be a tumult among the people.’
6And Jesus having been in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7there came to him a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, very precious, and she poured on his head as he is reclining (at meat).
8And having seen [it], his disciples were much displeased, saying, ‘To what purpose [is] this waste?
9for this ointment could have been sold for much, and given to the poor.’
10And Jesus having known, said to them, ‘Why do ye give trouble to the woman? for a good work she wrought for me;
11for the poor always ye have with you, and me ye have not always;
12for she having put this ointment on my body — for my burial she did [it].
13Verily I say to you, Wherever this good news may be proclaimed in the whole world, what this [one] did shall also be spoken of — for a memorial of her.’
14Then one of the twelve, who is called Judas Iscariot, having gone unto the chief priests, said,
15‘What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him up to you?’ and they weighed out to him thirty silverlings,
16and from that time he was seeking a convenient season to deliver him up.
17And on the first [day] of the unleavened food came the disciples near to Jesus, saying to him, ‘Where wilt thou [that] we may prepare for thee to eat the passover?’
18and he said, ‘Go away to the city, unto such a one, and say to him, The Teacher saith, My time is nigh; near thee I keep the passover, with my disciples;’
19and the disciples did as Jesus appointed them, and prepared the passover.
20And evening having come, he was reclining (at meat) with the twelve,
21and while they are eating, he said, ‘Verily I say to you, that one of you shall deliver me up.’
22And being grieved exceedingly, they began to say to him, each of them, ‘Is it I, Sir?’
23And he answering said, ‘He who did dip with me the hand in the dish, he will deliver me up;
24the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up! good it were for him if that man had not been born.’
25And Judas — he who delivered him up — answering said, ‘Is it I, Rabbi?’ He saith to him, ‘Thou hast said.’
26And while they were eating, Jesus having taken the bread, and having blessed, did brake, and was giving to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat, this is my body;’
27and having taken the cup, and having given thanks, he gave to them, saying, ‘Drink ye of it — all;
28for this is my blood of the new covenant, that for many is being poured out — to remission of sins;
29and I say to you, that I may not drink henceforth on this produce of the vine, till that day when I may drink it with you new in the reign of my Father.’
30And having sung a hymn, they went forth to the mount of the Olives;
31then saith Jesus to them, ‘All ye shall be stumbled at me this night; for it hath been written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad;
32but, after my having risen, I will go before you to Galilee.’
33And Peter answering said to him, ‘Even if all shall be stumbled at thee, I will never be stumbled.’
34Jesus said to him, ‘Verily I say to thee, that, this night, before cock-crowing, thrice thou wilt deny me.’
35Peter saith to him, ‘Even if it may be necessary for me to die with thee, I will not deny thee;’ in like manner also said all the disciples.
36Then come with them doth Jesus to a place called Gethsemane, and he saith to the disciples, ‘Sit ye here, till having gone away, I shall pray yonder.’
37And having taken Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful, and to be very heavy;
38then saith he to them, ‘Exceedingly sorrowful is my soul — unto death; abide ye here, and watch with me.’
39And having gone forward a little, he fell on his face, praying, and saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou.’
40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and he saith to Peter, ‘So! ye were not able one hour to watch with me!
41watch, and pray, that ye may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is forward, but the flesh weak.’
42Again, a second time, having gone away, he prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me except I drink it, Thy will be done;’
43and having come, he findeth them again sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44And having left them, having gone away again, he prayed a third time, saying the same word;
45then cometh he unto his disciples, and saith to them, ‘Sleep on henceforth, and rest! lo, the hour hath come nigh, and the Son of Man is delivered up to the hands of sinners.
46Rise, let us go; lo, he hath come nigh who is delivering me up.’
47And while he is yet speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve did come, and with him a great multitude, with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48And he who did deliver him up did give them a sign, saying, ‘Whomsoever I will kiss, it is he: lay hold on him;’
49and immediately, having come to Jesus, he said, ‘Hail, Rabbi,’ and kissed him;
50and Jesus said to him, ‘Comrade, for what art thou present?’ Then having come near, they laid hands on Jesus, and took hold on him.
51And lo, one of those with Jesus, having stretched forth the hand, drew his sword, and having struck the servant of the chief priest, he took off his ear.
52Then saith Jesus to him, ‘Turn back thy sword to its place; for all who did take the sword, by the sword shall perish;
53dost thou think that I am not able now to call upon my Father, and He will place beside me more than twelve legions of messengers?
54how then may the Writings be fulfilled, that thus it behoveth to happen?’
55In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, ‘As against a robber ye did come forth, with swords and sticks, to take me! daily with you I was sitting teaching in the temple, and ye did not lay hold on me;
56but all this hath come to pass, that the Writings of the prophets may be fulfilled;’ then all the disciples, having left him, fled.
57And those laying hold on Jesus led [him] away unto Caiaphas the chief priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together,
58and Peter was following him afar off, unto the court of the chief priest, and having gone in within, he was sitting with the officers, to see the end.
59And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, were seeking false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death,
60and they did not find; and many false witnesses having come near, they did not find; and at last two false witnesses having come near,
61said, ‘This one said, I am able to throw down the sanctuary of God, and after three days to build it.’
62And the chief priest having stood up, said to him, ‘Nothing thou dost answer! what do these witness against thee?
63and Jesus was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, ‘I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ — the Son of God.’
64Jesus saith to him, ‘Thou hast said; nevertheless I say to you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power, and coming upon the clouds, of the heaven.’
65Then the chief priest rent his garments, saying, — ‘He hath spoken evil; what need have we yet of witnesses? lo, now ye heard his evil speaking;
66what think ye?’ and they answering said, ‘He is worthy of death.’
67Then did they spit in his face and buffet him, and others did slap,
68saying, ‘Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?’
69And Peter without was sitting in the court, and there came near to him a certain maid, saying, ‘And thou wast with Jesus of Galilee!’
70And he denied before all, saying, ‘I have not known what thou sayest.’
71And he having gone forth to the porch, another female saw him, and saith to those there, ‘And this one was with Jesus of Nazareth;’
72and again did he deny with an oath — ‘I have not known the man.’
73And after a little those standing near having come, said to Peter, ‘Truly thou also art of them, for even thy speech doth make thee manifest.’
74Then began he to anathematise, and to swear — ‘I have not known the man;’ and immediately did a cock crow,
75and Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, he having said to him — ‘Before cockcrowing, thrice thou wilt deny me;’ and having gone without, he did weep bitterly.
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