Death Plot and the Anointing in Bethany

1It was now two days before the Passover and [the festival of] Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were searching for a deceitful way to arrest Jesus and kill Him; 2but they were saying, “Not during the festival, for the people might riot.”

3While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of [a]Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a [b]woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure [c]nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. 4But there were [d]some who were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer’s wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why are you bothering her and causing trouble? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me. 8She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever the good news [regarding salvation] is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve [disciples], went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11When they heard this they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus.

The Last Passover

12On the first day [of the festival] of [e]Unleavened Bread, when [as was customary] they sacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13And He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a [f]man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him; 14and say to the [g]owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15He will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready [with carpets and dining couches]; prepare [the supper] for us there.” 16The disciples left and went to the city and found everything just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17When it was evening, He came with the twelve [disciples]. 18While they were reclining at the table, Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me--one who is eating with Me.” 19They began to be grieved and deeply distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20And He replied, “It is one of the twelve [disciples], one who is dipping bread in the bowl with Me. 21For the Son of Man goes [to the cross] just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

The Lord’s Supper

22While they were eating, Jesus took bread and [h]blessed it [giving thanks and praise], and He broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take it. This is My body.” 23And when He had taken a cup [of wine] and [i]given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24And He said to them, “This is My blood of the [new] covenant, [My blood] which is being poured out for many [for the forgiveness of sins]. 25I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26After they had sung a [j]hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away [and be ashamed and be afraid to be associated with Me as disciples], because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP WILL BE SCATTERED.’ 28But after I have been raised [from the dead], I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all fall away [and desert You, ashamed and afraid of being associated with You], yet I will not [do so]!” 30Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny [that you even know] Me three times.” 31But Peter kept saying insistently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing as well.

Jesus in Gethsemane

32Then they went to a place called Gethsemane; and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit down here until I have prayed.” 33He took Peter and James and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled [extremely anguished at the prospect of what was to come]. 34And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved and overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35After going a little farther, He fell to the ground [distressed by the weight of His spiritual burden] and began to pray that if it were possible [in the Father’s will], the hour [of suffering and death for the sins of mankind] might pass from Him. 36He was saying, “[k]Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; take this cup [of judgment] away from Me; but not what I will, but what You will.” 37And He came back and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Were you unable to keep watch for one hour? 38Keep [actively] watching and praying so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the [l]body is weak.” 39He went away again and prayed, saying the same words. 40And again He came back and found them sleeping, because their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know how to answer Him. 41He came back a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough [of that]! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is near!”

Betrayal and Arrest

43And at once, while He was still speaking, Judas [Iscariot], one of the twelve [disciples], came up, and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders [of the Sanhedrin]. 44Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away safely [under guard].” 45When Judas came, immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi (Master)!” and he [m]kissed Him [forcefully]. 46They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47But one of the bystanders [Simon Peter] drew his sword and struck [Malchus] the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49Day after day I was with you, teaching in the [courts and porches of the] temple, and you did not seize Me; but this has happened so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” 50Then all of His disciples abandoned Him and fled.

51A young [n]man was following Him, wearing [only] a linen sheet over his naked body; and some men seized him. 52But pulling free of the linen sheet, he escaped [from them] naked.

Jesus before His Accusers

53They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) gathered together. 54Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers [guards and servants] and warming himself at the fire. 55Now the chief priests and the entire Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus [which they could use] to have Him [condemned and] executed, but they were not finding any. 56For many [people] were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimonies were not consistent. 57Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple (sanctuary) that was made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” 59Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 60The high priest stood up and came forward and asked Jesus, “Have You no answer to give [in response] to what these men are testifying against You?” 61But Jesus kept silent and gave no answer at all. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the [o]Blessed One?” 62Jesus said, “I am; and you will [all] see THE SON OF MAN SEATED [with authority] AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER (the Father), and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” 63Then [p]tearing his robe [to express his indignation], the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy [that is, His claim to be the Son of God]. What is your decision?” And they all condemned Him to be [guilty and] deserving of death. 65And some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy [by telling us who hit you]!” Then the officers took custody of Him and struck him in the face.

Peter’s Denials

66While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, 67and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You were with Jesus the Nazarene, too.” 68But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Then he went out [of the courtyard] to the porch, [q][and a rooster crowed.] 69The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to tell the bystanders, “This [man] is one of them.” 70But again he denied it. After a little while, the bystanders again said to Peter, “You are in fact one of them, for [it is clear from your accent, that] you are a Galilean, too.” 71But he began to [r]invoke a curse [on himself] and to swear [an oath], “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72Immediately a rooster crowed the second time. And Peter remembered what Jesus said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And thinking of this, he began weeping [in anguish].

[a] 3 See note Matt 26:6.
[b] 3 John the Apostle identifies this woman as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus (Matt 26:7; John 12:3). Jesus was anointed in a similar way by an unnamed woman when he was in Galilee dining at the home of a Pharisee (Luke 7:36-39).
[c] 3 See note Matt 26:7.
[d] 4 Judas may have been the instigator of this complaint (John 12:4-6).
[e] 12 This remembrance lasted eight days. The Passover lambs were selected on the 10th of Nisan (MarchApril) and sacrificed on the 14th of Nisan (the first day of the feast). The Passover meal was eaten that same night (the 15th of Nisan). Passover was immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread (15-21 Nisan). The terms “Passover” and “The Feast of Unleavened Bread” were used interchangeably.
[f] 13 Water jars were usually carried by women, so it would have been easy to notice a manservant performing this task.
[g] 14 Tradition identifies the owner of the house as Mark’s father.
[h] 22 See note Matt 26:26.
[i] 23 See note Matt 26:27.
[j] 26 The Hallel psalms (113-118) were sung at Passover.
[k] 36 An Aramaic word used by young children when addressing their fathers, but not used by Jews in prayer because of the word’s implied familiarity. Jesus’ use of the word emphasized his Father-Son relationship with God.
[l] 38 Lit flesh.
[m] 45 A kiss on either the hand or cheek was a common gesture of greeting and reverence given to a Rabbi by his disciples. The purpose of Judas’ exaggerated kiss would be to help the soldiers identify Jesus.
[n] 51 Perhaps this was Mark, the writer of this gospel. If the Passover meal had been held in the house of Mark’s father, Judas and the crowd may have looked for Jesus there before going to Gethsemane. Mark, being awakened by the crowd, could have followed them to the garden wearing only what he slept in.
[o] 61 In the Talmud, God is frequently referred to as “the Holy One, Blessed be He.”
[p] 63 This was a response required by Jewish law for judges who had heard blasphemy. However, OT law forbade the high priest to tear his clothing (Lev 10:6; 21:10).
[q] 68 Later mss add this clause.
[r] 71 In Judaism such a curse took the form of “May I always be afflicted if I am not being truthful,” or “May I bury my son if...,” or “May I never see the comfort of Zion and Jerusalem if...,” etc. (as found in the Talmud).