Chapter 26

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

Ye know that after two days is the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Then assembled the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

There came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at table.

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

When Jesus understood it, he said to them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Verily I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, which this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,

And said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the evening was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they were eating, he said, Verily I say to you, that one of you will betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say to him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same will betray me.

The Son of man goeth, as it is written concerning him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man, if he had not been born.

Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said to him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sin.

But I say to you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

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

Then saith Jesus to them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said to him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, that this night, before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.

Peter said to him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Then cometh Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.

And he took with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh to the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith to Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then he cometh to his disciples, and saith to 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.

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

And while he was yet speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staffs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail Master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said to him, Friend, Why art thou come? Then they came, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And behold, one of them, who were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus to him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staffs to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

But Peter followed him at a distance, to the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end.

Now the chief priests and elders, and all the council, sought false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death;

But found none: and, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

And the high priest arose, and said to him, Answerest thou nothing, what is it which these testify against thee?

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said to him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ the Son of God.

Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then they spit in his face, and buffetted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy to us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came to him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

And when he had gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said to them that were there, This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And after a while came to him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, Before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.