| 1. | was drawing near, |
| 2. | and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to put him to death, for they were afraid of the people. |
| 3. | Then Satan entered into Judas, the one surnamed Iscariot, who was counted among the Twelve, |
| 4. | and he went to the chief priests and temple guards to discuss a plan for handing him over to them. |
| 5. | They were pleased and agreed to pay him money. |
| 6. | He accepted their offer and sought a favorable opportunity to hand him over to them in the absence of a crowd. |
| 7. | When the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb, |
| 8. | he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." |
| 9. | They asked him, "Where do you want us to make the preparations?" |
| 10. | And he answered them, "When you go into the city, a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him into the house that he enters |
| 11. | and say to the master of the house, 'The teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' |
| 12. | He will show you a large upper room that is furnished. Make the preparations there." |
| 13. | Then they went off and found everything exactly as he had told them, and there they prepared the Passover. |
| 14. | When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. |
| 15. | He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, |
| 16. | for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God." |
| 17. | Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; |
| 18. | for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." |
| 19. | Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." |
| 20. | And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you. |
| 21. | "And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me is with me on the table; |
| 22. | for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed." |
| 23. | And they began to debate among themselves who among them would do such a deed. |
| 24. | Then an argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. |
| 25. | He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors'; |
| 26. | but among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. |
| 27. | For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves. |
| 28. | It is you who have stood by me in my trials; |
| 29. | and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, |
| 30. | that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| 31. | "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, |
| 32. | but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." |
| 33. | He said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you." |
| 34. | But he replied, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me." |
| 35. | He said to them, "When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No, nothing," they replied. |
| 36. | He said to them, "But now one who has a money bag should take it, and likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. |
| 37. | For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, 'He was counted among the wicked'; and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment." |
| 38. | Then they said, "Lord, look, there are two swords here." But he replied, "It is enough!" |
| 39. | Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. |
| 40. | When he arrived at the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not undergo the test." |
| 41. | After withdrawing about a stone's throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, |
| 42. | saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done." |
| 43. | (And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. |
| 44. | He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.) |
| 45. | When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief. |
| 46. | He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test." |
| 47. | While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him. |
| 48. | Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" |
| 49. | His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, "Lord, shall we strike with a sword?" |
| 50. | And one of them struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. |
| 51. | But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of this!" Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him. |
| 52. | And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? |
| 53. | Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness." |
| 54. | After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance. |
| 55. | They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them. |
| 56. | When a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said, "This man too was with him." |
| 57. | But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him." |
| 58. | A short while later someone else saw him and said, "You too are one of them"; but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not." |
| 59. | About an hour later, still another insisted, "Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean." |
| 60. | But Peter said, "My friend, I do not know what you are talking about." Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, |
| 61. | and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times." |
| 62. | He went out and began to weep bitterly. |
| 63. | The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him. |
| 64. | They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" |
| 65. | And they reviled him in saying many other things against him. |
| 66. | When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. |
| 67. | They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us," but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe, |
| 68. | and if I question, you will not respond. |
| 69. | But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." |
| 70. | They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them, "You say that I am." |
| 71. | Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth." |
