The Plot to Kill Jesus

(Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2; John 11:45-53)

1When Jesus had finished saying all these things,a he told his disciples, 2“You know that the Passover will take place in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 4They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him. 5But they kept saying, “This must not happen during the festival. Otherwise, there’ll be a riot among the people.”

A Woman Anoints Jesus

(Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8)

6While Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head while he sat at the table. 8But when the disciples saw this, they became irritated and said, “Why this waste? 9Surely this perfume could’ve been sold for a high price and the moneyb given to the destitute.”

10But knowing this,c Jesus asked them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 11You’ll always have the destitute with you, but you’ll not always have me. 12When she poured this perfume on my body, she was preparing me for burial. 13I tell all of youd with certainty, wherever this gospel is proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

(Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6)

14Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priests 15and inquired, “What are you willing to give me if I betray Jesuse to you?” They offered him 30 pieces of silver, 16and from then on he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.f

The Passover with the Disciples

(Mark 14:12-21; Luke 22:7-14, 21-23; John 12:21-30)

17On the first day of the Festivalg of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”

18He said, “Go to a certain man in the city and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’”h 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

20When evening came, Jesusi was sitting at the table with the Twelve.j 21While they were eating, he said, “I tell all of youk with certainty, one of you is going to betray me.”

22Feeling deeply distressed, each one began to ask him, “Surely I am not the one, Lord?”

23He replied, “The man who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him. How terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.”

25Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, “Rabbi,l I’m not the one, am I?”

Jesusm told him, “You have said so.”

The Lord’s Supper

(Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:15-20)

26While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”

27Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28because this is my blood of the newn covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell all of youo I will never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it with you once again in my Father’s kingdom.”

30After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

(Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:36-38)

31Then Jesus told them, “All of you will turn against me this very night, because it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’p

32However, after I have been raised, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”

33But Peter told him, “Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won’t!”

34Jesus told him, “I tell youq with certainty, before a rooster crows this very night, you will deny me three times.”

35Peter told him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane

(Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46)

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told the disciples, “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.” 37Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, he began to be grieved and troubled. 38Then he told them, “I’m so deeply grieved that I feel I’m about to die. Wait here and stay awake with me.”

39Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.”

40When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He told Peter, “So, you men couldn’t stay awake with me for one hour, could you? 41All of you must stay awake and pray that you won’t be tempted. The spirit is indeed willing, but the bodyr is weak.”

42He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot go away unless I drink it, let your will be done.” 43Then he came back and found them asleep, because they could not keep their eyes open. 44After leaving them again, he went away and prayed again for the third time, saying the same thing.

45Then he came back to the disciples and told them, “You might as well keep on sleeping and resting.s Look! The time is near for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Get up! Let’s go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!”

Jesus is Arrested

(Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-12)

47Just then, while Jesust was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. A large crowd armed with swords and clubs was with him. They were from the high priests and elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer personally had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kissu is the man. Arrest him.”

49So Judasv immediately went up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Rabbi!”w and kissed him tenderly.

50Jesus asked him, “Friend, why are you here?”x Then the other meny surged forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.

51Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. 52Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword. 53Don’t you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now? 54How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?”

55At this point,z Jesus asked the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a bandit?aa Day after day I sat teaching in the Temple, yet you didn’t arrest me. 56But all of this has happened so that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples deserted Jesusbb and ran away.

Jesus is Tried before the High Priest

(Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:54-55, 63-71; John 18:13-14, 19-24)

57Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled. 58Peter, however, followed him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard. He went inside and sat down with the servants to see how this would end.

59Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Councilcc were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death. 60But they couldn’t find any, even though many false witnesses had come forward. At last two men came forward 61and stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the sanctuary of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62At this, the high priest stood up and asked Jesus,dd “Don’t you have any answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 63But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest told him, “I command you by the living God to tell us if you are the Messiah,ee the Son of God!”

64Jesus told him, “You have said so. Nevertheless I tell you, from now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power’ff and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”gg

65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Listen! You yourselves have just heard the blasphemy! 66What is your verdict?”

They replied, “He deserves to die!”

67Then they spit in his face and hit him. Some slapped him, 68saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!hh Who hitii you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

(Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:56-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27)

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.”

70But he denied it in front of them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he exclaimed.

71As he went out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”jj

72Again he denied it and swore with an oath, “I don’t know the man!”

73After a little while, the people who were standing there came up and told Peter, “Obviously you’re also one of them, because your accent gives you away.”

74Then he began to curse violently. “I don’t know the man!” he swore solemnly. Just then a rooster crowed. 75Peter remembered the words of Jesus when he said, “Before a rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.” Then he went outside and cried bitterly.