1. The feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was now drawing near,

2. and the chief priests and the scribes were looking for some way of doing away with him, because they were afraid of the people.

3. Then Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.

4. He approached the chief priests and the officers of the guard to discuss some way of handing Jesus over to them.

5. They were delighted and agreed to give him money.

6. He accepted and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them without people knowing about it.

7. The day of Unleavened Bread came round, on which the Passover had to be sacrificed,

8. and he sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make the preparations for us to eat the Passover.'

9. They asked him, 'Where do you want us to prepare it?'

10. He said to them, 'Look, as you go into the city you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house he enters

11. and tell the owner of the house, "The Master says this to you: Where is the room for me to eat the Passover with my disciples?"

12. The man will show you a large upper room furnished with couches. Make the preparations there.'

13. They set off and found everything as he had told them and prepared the Passover.

14. When the time came he took his place at table, and the apostles with him.

15. And he said to them, 'I have ardently longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

16. because, I tell you, I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'

17. Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and share it among you,

18. because from now on, I tell you, I shall never again drink wine until the kingdom of God comes.'

19. Then he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'

20. He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood poured out for you.

21. 'But look, here with me on the table is the hand of the man who is betraying me.

22. The Son of man is indeed on the path which was decreed, but alas for that man by whom he is betrayed!'

23. And they began to ask one another which of them it could be who was to do this.

24. An argument also began between them about who should be reckoned the greatest;

25. but he said to them, 'Among the gentiles it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor.

26. With you this must not happen. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves.

27. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!

28. 'You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials;

29. and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me:

30. you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

31. 'Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat;

32. but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.'

33. 'Lord,' he answered, 'I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.'

34. Jesus replied, 'I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.'

35. He said to them, 'When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything?'

36. 'No, nothing,' they said. He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and the same with a haversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one,

37. because I tell you these words of scripture are destined to be fulfilled in me: He was counted as one of the rebellious. Yes, what it says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.'

38. They said, 'Lord, here are two swords.' He said to them, 'That is enough!'

39. He then left to make his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, with the disciples following.

40. When he reached the place he said to them, 'Pray not to be put to the test.'

41. Then he withdrew from them, about a stone's throw away, and knelt down and prayed.

42. 'Father,' he said, 'if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.'

43. Then an angel appeared to him, coming from heaven to give him strength.

44. In his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

45. When he rose from prayer he went to the disciples and found them sleeping for sheer grief.

46. And he said to them, 'Why are you asleep? Get up and pray not to be put to the test.'

47. Suddenly, while he was still speaking, a number of men appeared, and at the head of them the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, who went up to Jesus to kiss him.

48. Jesus said, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?'

49. His followers, seeing what was about to happen, said, 'Lord, shall we use our swords?'

50. And one of them struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.

51. But at this Jesus said, 'That is enough.' And touching the man's ear he healed him.

52. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guard and elders who had come for him, 'Am I a bandit, that you had to set out with swords and clubs?

53. When I was among you in the Temple day after day you never made a move to lay hands on me. But this is your hour; this is the reign of darkness.'

54. They seized him then and led him away, and they took him to the high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance.

55. They had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and Peter sat down among them,

56. and as he was sitting there by the blaze a servant-girl saw him, peered at him, and said, 'This man was with him too.'

57. But he denied it. 'Woman, I do not know him,' he said.

58. Shortly afterwards someone else saw him and said, 'You are one of them too.' But Peter replied, 'I am not, my friend.'

59. About an hour later another man insisted, saying, 'This fellow was certainly with him. Why, he is a Galilean.'

60. Peter said, 'My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.' At that instant, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed,

61. and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the Lord's words when he had said to him, 'Before the cock crows today, you will have disowned me three times.'

62. And he went outside and wept bitterly.

63. Meanwhile the men who guarded Jesus were mocking and beating him.

64. They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, 'Prophesy! Who hit you then?'

65. And they heaped many other insults on him.

66. When day broke there was a meeting of the elders of the people, the chief priests and scribes. He was brought before their council,

67. and they said to him, 'If you are the Christ, tell us.' He replied, 'If I tell you, you will not believe,

68. and if I question you, you will not answer.

69. But from now on, the Son of man will be seated at the right hand of the Power of God.'

70. They all said, 'So you are the Son of God then?' He answered, 'It is you who say I am.'

71. Then they said, 'Why do we need any evidence? We have heard it for ourselves from his own lips.'





“Recorramos a Jesus e não às pessoas, pois só ele nunca nos faltará.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina