NOW the passover and the feast of unleavened bread were but two days
distant; and the chief priests, and the scribes, sought how they might
seize him by craft, and kill him. (2)But they said, Not on the feast
day, lest there be a commotion among the people. (3)And when he was at
Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman
came, having an alabaster vase of ointment, of genuine spikenard, of
vast value: and breaking the vase, she let it flow down upon his head.
(4)And there were some who felt indignation within themselves, saying,
Wherefore is this waste of the ointment made? (5)For it might have been
sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor. And
they bitterly murmured against her. (6)Then said Jesus, Let her alone;
why give ye her uneasiness? she hath performed a laudable act towards
me. (7)For the poor ye have always with you, and when ye will ye may do
them good: but me ye have not always. (8)What was in her power she hath
done; she has seized the opportunity to anoint my body beforehand for
burial. (9)Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be
preached through the whole world, there shall, what she hath done, be
told for a memorial of her.
(10)Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief
priests, that he might betray him unto them. (11)When they heard it,
they rejoiced, and promised to give him a sum in silver. And he watched
how opportunely he might deliver him up.
(12)And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the
passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and
prepare for thee to eat the passover? (13)And he sent two of his
disciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and a man will meet
you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him. (14)And where he enters,
say to the master of the family. That the teacher saith, Where is the
dining-room, where I may eat the passover with my disciples? (15)And he
will shew you a large upper room ready furnished: there make
preparation for us. (16)And his disciples went out, and came into the
city, and found as he had spoken to them; and they made ready the
passover.
(17)And when it was evening he came with the twelve. (18)And as they
sat at table, and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I tell you, That one
of you, who is eating with me, shall betray me. (19)And they began to
be very sorry, and to say to him, one by one, Is it I? and another
said, Is it I? (20)But he answering said to them, It is one of the
twelve, who is dipping his hand with me into the dish. (21)The Son of
man indeed goeth, as it is written of him; but wo to that man by whom
the Son of man is betrayed! it had been desirable for that man if he
had never been born.
(22)And as they were eating, Jesus taking a loaf, when he had blessed,
brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
(23)And taking the cup, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them;
and they all drank out of it. (24)And he said unto them, This is my
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. (25)Verily I say
unto you, That I will henceforth no more drink of the produce of the
vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.
(26)And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the mount of
Olives. (27)And Jesus saith to them, All ye will be offended at me this
night; for it is written, "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep
shall be dispersed:" (28)but after I am risen, I will go before you
into Galilee. (29)Then said Peter unto him, Though all should be
offended, yet will not I. (30)And Jesus saith to him, Verily I tell
thee, That to-day, in the course of this very night, before the cock
crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. (31)But he said with more
vehement assertion, Though I should die with thee, yet would I in no
wise deny thee. And they all spake also in the same manner.
(32)And they come to a place called Gethsemane, and he saith to his
disciples, Sit ye here whilst I shall pray. (33)And he taketh Peter,
and James, and John, with him; and he began to be filled with horrible
dread, and to be sunk under dejection of spirit: (34)and he saith to
them, My soul is deeply afflicted even to death: abide here, and watch.
(35)And he went a little farther forward, and fell on the earth, and
prayed, that if it were possible the hour might pass from him. (36)And
he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup
from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (37)And he came
and found them asleep: and saith unto Peter, Sleepest thou? hast thou
not strength to watch with me a single hour? (38)Watch ye and pray,
that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak. (39)And again he went away, and prayed, speaking the
same sentence. (40)And when he returned, he found them again sleeping;
for their eyes were weighed down: and they knew not what to answer him.
(41)Then the third time he cometh, and saith unto them, Sleep on now,
and repose: it is enough, the hour is come; lo! the Son of man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners; (42)arise, let us go; behold, the
traitor approaches me. (43)And immediately, while he was yet speaking,
Judas, one of the twelve, came up, and a great multitude with him, with
swords and staves, from the chief priests, and scribes, and elders.
(44)Now he that betrayed him, had given them a countersign, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, seize him, and lead him off
safely. (45)And coming, he immediately drew up to him and said, Rabbi,
Rabbi, and kissed him. (46)Then they laid their hands on him, and
seized him. (47)And one particular person of those who stood by drew
his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his
ear. (48)And Jesus addressing them said, Are ye come out as against a
robber, with swords and staves, to apprehend me? (49)Daily was I with
you in the temple teaching, and ye laid no hold upon me: but _this is
done_ that the scriptures might be fulfilled.
(50)Then they all deserting him, fled. (51)And a certain youth followed
him, having a linen cloth wrapped round his naked body; and the young
men laid hold of him; (52)and leaving the linen cloth behind, he fled
naked from them.
(53)And they led Jesus unto the high-priest; and with him were
assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes.
(54)And Peter followed him at a distance, until he came into the palace
of the high-priest: and was seated with the servants, and warming
himself at the fire.
(55)Then the chief priests, and the whole sanhedrim, sought for witness
against Jesus, that they might put him to death; yet found none.
(56)For many bore false witness against him, and their attestations did
not correspond. (57)And certain persons rising up, bore false witness
against him, saying, (58)We have heard him affirm, I will destroy this
temple made with hands, and after three days I will build another not
made with hands. (59)But even then their testimony was not
correspondent. (60)So the high-priest rising up in the midst
interrogated Jesus, Answerest thou nothing? What is it that these
witness against thee? (61)But he kept silence, and made them not a word
of reply. Again the high-priest questioned him, and said to him, Art
thou the Messiah, the Son of the blessed? (62)Then said Jesus, I am.
And ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and
coming with the clouds of heaven. (63)Then the high-priest rent his
clothes, and said, What farther need have we of witnesses? (64)Ye have
heard his blasphemy. What think ye? And they all adjudged him to be
deserving of death. (65)And some began to spit upon him, and to cover
his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, Prophesy: and the
servants slapped him on the face with their hands.
(66)And as Peter was in the hall, at the lower end, there came to him
one of the high-priest's maid-servants: (67)and seeing Peter warming
himself, stedfastly looking at him, she said, Thou also wast with Jesus
of Nazareth. (68)Then he denied it, saying, I do not so much as know
him, nor understand what thou art saying. And he went out into the
vestibule; and the cock crew. (69)And a maid-servant observing him
again; began to say to those who stood by, This man is one of them.
(70)Then he denied it again. And after a little while, they who stood
by said to Peter, Of a certainty thou art one of them; for thou art a
Galilean, and thy speech is correspondent. (71)Then began he to make
the most dreadful imprecations, and to swear, I know not the man of
whom ye speak. (72)And the second time the cock crew. And Peter
remembered the word which Jesus spake unto him, That before the cock
crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And casting his mantle over his
face, he wept.