Matthew 26

¹And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, ²Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. ³Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas; ⁴and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. ⁵But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people.

⁶Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat. ⁸But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? ⁹For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. ¹⁰But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. ¹¹For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. ¹²For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

¹⁴Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.

¹⁷Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the passover? ¹⁸And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. ¹⁹And the disciples did as Jesus appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

²⁰Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples; ²¹and as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. ²²And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, Is it I, Lord? ²³And he answered and said, He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. ²⁴The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born. ²⁵And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.

²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. ²⁷And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; ²⁸for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. ²⁹But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

³⁰And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

³¹Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. ³²But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee. ³³But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended. ³⁴Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. ³⁵Peter saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

³⁶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. ³⁷And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. ³⁸Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. ³⁹And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. ⁴⁰And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? ⁴¹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ⁴²Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. ⁴³And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words. ⁴⁵Then cometh he to the disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me.

⁴⁷And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: take him. ⁴⁹And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. ⁵⁰And Jesus said unto him, Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. ⁵¹And behold, one of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. ⁵²Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. ⁵³Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴How then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? ⁵⁵In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not. ⁵⁶But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled.

⁵⁷And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. ⁵⁸But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end. ⁵⁹Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; ⁶⁰and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But afterward came two, ⁶¹and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. ⁶²And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? ⁶³But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God. ⁶⁴Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. ⁶⁵Then the high priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy: ⁶⁶what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death. ⁶⁷Then did they spit in his face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands, ⁶⁸saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ: who is he that struck thee?

⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting without in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilæan. ⁷⁰But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. ⁷¹And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and saith unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. ⁷²And again he denied with an oath, I know not the man. ⁷³And after a little while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of them; for thy speech maketh thee known. ⁷⁴Then began he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And straightway the cock crew. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.