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The Plot to Kill Jesus

^1 (C1)When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,² "^(C1)You know that after two days ^(C2)the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be ^(C3)handed over for crucifixion."

^3 (C1)At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in ^(C2)the courtyard of the high priest named ^(C3)Caiaphas;⁴ and they ^(C1)plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.⁵ But they were saying, "Not during the festival, ^(C1)otherwise a riot might occur among the people."

The Precious Ointment

^6 (C1)Now when Jesus was in ^(C2)Bethany, at the home of Simon ^(F1)the Leper,^7 (C1)a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.⁸ But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste?⁹ "For this perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor."¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me.¹¹ "For you always have ^(C1)the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.¹² "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it ^(C1)to prepare Me for burial.¹³ "Truly I say to you, ^(C1)wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her."

Judas' Bargain

^14 (C1)Then one of the twelve, named ^(C2)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests¹⁵ and said, "What are you willing to give me ^(F1)to ^(F2)(C1)betray Him to you?" And ^(C2)they set out for him thirty ^(F3)pieces of silver.¹⁶ And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to ^(F1)betray ^(F2)Jesus.

^17 (C1)Now on the first day of ^(F1)(C2)Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and ^(F2)asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"¹⁸ And He said, "Go into the city to ^(C1)a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "^(C2)My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"¹⁹ The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Last Passover

^20 (C1)Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the ^(F1)twelve.²¹ And as they were eating, He said, "^(C1)Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."²² Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: "Surely it is not I, Lord?"²³ And He answered, "^(C1)He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.²⁴ "The Son of Man is going away ^(C1)just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(C2)It would have been good ^(F1)for that man if he had not been born."²⁵ And ^(C1)Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, ^(C2)Rabbi?" Jesus ^(*)said to him, "^(C3)You have said it yourself."

The Lord's Supper Instituted

^26 (C1)Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and ^(F1)(C2)after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."²⁷ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;²⁸ for ^(C1)this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for ^(C2)many for forgiveness of sins.²⁹ "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father's kingdom."

^30 (C1)And after singing a ^(F1)hymn, they went out to ^(C2)the Mount of Olives.

³¹ Then Jesus ^(*)said to them, "You will all ^(F1)(C1)fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: '^(C2)I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE ^(C3)SCATTERED.'³² "But after I have been raised, ^(C1)I will go ahead of you to Galilee."³³ But Peter replied to Him, "Even if they all ^(F1)fall away because of You, I will never fall away!"³⁴ Jesus said to him, "^(C1)Truly I say to you that ^(C2)this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."³⁵ Peter ^(*)said to Him, "^(C1)Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" All the disciples said the same thing as well.

The Garden of Gethsemane

^36 (C1)Then Jesus ^(*)came with them to a place called ^(F1)(C2)Gethsemane, and ^(*)told His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."³⁷ And He took ^(C1)Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed.³⁸ Then He ^(*)said to them, "^(C1)My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and ^(C2)keep watch with Me."

³⁹ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let ^(C1)this cup pass from Me; ^(C2)yet not as I will, but as You will."⁴⁰ And He ^(*)came to the disciples and ^(*)found them sleeping, and He ^(*)said to Peter, "So, you men could not ^(C1)keep watch with Me for one hour?⁴¹ "^(C1)Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; ^(C2)the spirit is ^(F1)willing, but the flesh is weak."

⁴² He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cup ^(C1)cannot pass away unless I drink from it, ^(C2)Your will be done."⁴³ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.⁴⁴ And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.⁴⁵ Then He ^(*)came to the disciples and ^(*)said to them, "^(F1)Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, ^(C1)the hour ^(F2)is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.⁴⁶ "Get up, let's go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!"

Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest

^47 (C1)And while He was still speaking, behold, ^(C2)Judas, one of the twelve, came ^(F1)accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.⁴⁸ Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him."⁴⁹ And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, ^(C1)Rabbi!" and kissed Him.⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, "^(C1)Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

⁵¹ And behold, ^(C1)one of those who were with Jesus ^(F1)reached and drew his ^(C2)sword, and struck the ^(C1)slave of the high priest and ^(F2)cut off his ear.⁵² Then Jesus ^(*)said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for ^(C1)all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.⁵³ "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve ^(F1)(C1)legions of ^(C2)angels?⁵⁴ "How then would ^(C1)the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? ^(C1)Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me.⁵⁶ "But all this has taken place so that ^(C1)the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

Jesus before Caiaphas

^57 (C1)Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to ^(C2)Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.⁵⁸ But ^(C1)Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the ^(C2)courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the ^(F1)(C3)officers to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the entire ^(F1)(C1)Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.⁶⁰ They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on ^(C1)two came forward,⁶¹ and said, "This man stated, '^(C1)I am able to destroy the ^(F1)temple of God and to rebuild it ^(F2)in three days.'"⁶² The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You offer no answer for what these men are testifying against You?"⁶³ But ^(C1)Jesus kept silent. ^(C2)And the high priest said to Him, "I ^(C3)place You under oath by ^(C4)the living God, to tell us whether You are the ^(F1)Christ, ^(C5)the Son of God."⁶⁴ Jesus ^(*)said to him, "^(C1)You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see ^(C2)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and ^(C3)coming on the clouds of heaven."

⁶⁵ Then the high priest ^(C1)tore his ^(F1)robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy;⁶⁶ what do you think?" They answered, "^(C1)He deserves death!"

^67 (C1)Then they ^(C2)spit in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others ^(F1)slapped Him,⁶⁸ and said, "^(C1)Prophesy to us, You ^(F1)Christ; who is the one who hit You?"

Peter's Denials

^69 (C1)Now Peter was sitting outside in the ^(C2)courtyard, and a slave woman came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean."⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about."⁷¹ When he had gone out to the gateway, another slave woman saw him and ^(*)said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."⁷² And again he denied it, with an oath: "I do not know the man."⁷³ A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "You really are one of them as well, ^(C1)since even the way you talk ^(F1)gives you away."⁷⁴ Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the Man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had ^(F1)made: "^(C1)Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.