Read the Bible

The Jewish Leaders Plan to Kill Jesus^(a)

¹ It was almost time for the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover. ² The leading priests and teachers of the law wanted to kill Jesus. But they were trying to find a quiet way to do it, because they were afraid of what the people would do.

Judas Agrees to Help Jesus' Enemies^(b)

³ One of Jesus' twelve apostles was named Judas Iscariot. Satan entered him, ⁴ and he went and talked with the leading priests and some of the soldiers who guarded the Temple. He talked to them about a way to hand Jesus over to them. ⁵ The priests were very happy about this. They promised to give Judas money for doing this. ⁶ He agreed. Then he waited for the best time to hand him over to them. He wanted to do it when no one was around to see it.

The Passover Meal^(c)

⁷ The Day of Unleavened Bread^[a] came. This was the day when the Jews always killed the lambs for the Passover. ⁸ Jesus said to Peter and John, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat."

⁹ They said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare the meal?"

He said to them, ¹⁰ "When you go into the city, you will see a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him. He will go into a house. ¹¹ Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks that you please show us the room where he and his followers can eat the Passover meal.' ¹² Then the owner will show you a large room upstairs that is ready for us. Prepare the meal there."

¹³ So Peter and John left. Everything happened the way Jesus said. So they prepared the Passover meal.

The Lord's Supper^(d)

¹⁴ The time came for them to eat the Passover meal. Jesus and the apostles were together at the table. ¹⁵ Jesus said to them, "I wanted very much to eat this Passover meal with you before I die. ¹⁶ I will never eat another Passover meal until it is given its full meaning in God's kingdom."

¹⁷ Then Jesus took a cup of wine. He gave thanks to God for it and said, "Take this cup and give it to everyone here. ¹⁸ I will never drink wine again until God's kingdom comes."

¹⁹ Then he took some bread and thanked God for it. He broke off some pieces, gave them to the apostles and said, "This bread is my body that I am giving for you. Eat this to remember me." ²⁰ In the same way, after supper, Jesus took the cup of wine and said, "This wine represents the new agreement from God to his people. It will begin when my blood is poured out for you."^[b]

Who Will Turn Against Jesus?

²¹ Jesus said, "But here on this table is the hand of the one who will hand me over to my enemies. ²² The Son of Man will do what God has planned. But it will be very bad for the one who hands over the Son of Man to be killed."

²³ Then the apostles asked each other, "Which one of us would do that?"

Be Like a Servant

²⁴ Later, the apostles began to argue about which one of them was the most important. ²⁵ But Jesus said to them, "The kings of the world rule over their people, and those who have authority over others want to be called ‘the great providers for the people.' ²⁶ But you must not be like that. The one with the most authority among you should act as if he is the least important. The one who leads should be like one who serves. ²⁷ Who is more important: the one serving or the one sitting at the table being served? Everyone thinks it's the one being served, right? But I have been with you as the one who serves.

²⁸ "You men have stayed with me through many struggles. ²⁹ So I give you authority to rule with me in the kingdom the Father has given me. ³⁰ You will eat and drink at my table in that kingdom. You will sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

Peter Will Be Tested and Fail^(e)

³¹ "Satan has asked to test you men like a farmer tests his wheat. O Simon, Simon,^{[c] 32} I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me."

³³ But Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, I am ready to go to jail with you. I will even die with you!"

³⁴ But Jesus said, "Peter, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will say you don't know me. You will say this three times."

Be Ready for Trouble

³⁵ Then Jesus said to the apostles, "Remember when I sent you out without money, a bag, or sandals? Did you need anything?"

The apostles said, "No."

³⁶ Jesus said to them, "But now if you have money or a bag, carry that with you. If you don't have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. ³⁷ The Scriptures say,

This Scripture must happen. It was written about me, and it is happening now."

³⁸ The followers said, "Look, Lord, here are two swords."

Jesus said to them, "That's enough."^[d]39-40 Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives. His followers went with him. (He went there often.) He said to his followers, "Pray for strength against temptation."

⁴¹ Then Jesus went about 50 steps away from them. He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² "Father, if you are willing, please don't make me drink from this cup.^[e] But do what you want, not what I want." ⁴³ Then an angel from heaven came to help him. ⁴⁴ Jesus was full of pain; he struggled hard in prayer. Sweat dripped from his face like drops of blood falling to the ground.^{[f] 45} When he finished praying, he went to his followers. He found them asleep, worn out from their grieving. ⁴⁶ Jesus said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray for strength against temptation."

Jesus Is Arrested^(h)

⁴⁷ While Jesus was speaking, a crowd came up. It was led by Judas, one of the twelve apostles. He came over to Jesus to kiss him.

⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you using the kiss of friendship to hand over the Son of Man to his enemies?" ⁴⁹ The followers of Jesus were standing there too. They saw what was happening and said to Jesus, "Lord, should we use our swords?" ⁵⁰ And one of them did use his sword. He cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest.

⁵¹ Jesus said, "Stop!" Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.

⁵² Jesus spoke to the group that came to arrest him. They were the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, and the Jewish soldiers. He said to them, "Why did you come out here with swords and clubs? Do you think I am a criminal? ⁵³ I was with you every day in the Temple area. Why didn't you try to arrest me there? But this is your time—the time when darkness rules."

Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus⁽ⁱ⁾

⁵⁴ They arrested Jesus and took him away to the house of the high priest. Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. ⁵⁵ The soldiers started a fire in the middle of the yard and sat together. Peter sat with them. ⁵⁶ A servant girl saw him sitting there. She could see because of the light from the fire. She looked closely at Peter's face. Then she said, "This man was also with Jesus."

⁵⁷ But Peter said this was not true. He said, "Lady, I don't know him." ⁵⁸ A short time later, someone else saw Peter and said, "You are also one of them."

But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"

⁵⁹ About an hour later, another man said, "It's true. I'm sure this man was with him, because he is from Galilee."

⁶⁰ But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you are talking about!"

Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ Then the Lord turned and looked into Peter's eyes. And Peter remembered what the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will say three times that you don't know me." ⁶² Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.

The Guards Treat Jesus Badly^(j)

⁶³ The men guarding Jesus made fun of him and beat him. ⁶⁴ They covered his eyes so that he could not see them. Then they hit him and said, "Be a prophet^[g] and tell us who hit you!" ⁶⁵ And they shouted all kinds of insults at him.

Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders^(k)

⁶⁶ The next morning, the older leaders of the people, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law came together. They led Jesus away to their high council. ⁶⁷ They said, "If you are the Messiah, then tell us that you are."

Jesus said to them, "If I tell you I am the Messiah, you will not believe me. ⁶⁸ And if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹ But beginning now, the Son of Man will sit at the right side of God All-Powerful."

⁷⁰ They all said, "Then are you the Son of God?" Jesus said to them, "You are right in saying that I am."

⁷¹ They said, "Why do we need witnesses now? We all heard what he said!"