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Jesus Tells of His Death the Fourth Time ^(a)

¹ When Jesus had finished all this teaching, He said to His followers, ² "You know that the special religious supper to remember how the Jews left Egypt is in two days. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross."

³ The religious leaders and the leaders of the people gathered at the house of the head religious leader. His name was Caiaphas. ⁴ They talked together how they might trap Jesus and kill Him. ⁵ But they said, "This must not happen on the day of the special supper. The people would be against it. They would make much trouble."

Mary of Bethany Puts Special Perfume on Jesus ^(b)

⁶ Jesus was in the town of Bethany in the house of Simon. Simon had a very bad skin disease. ⁷ A woman came with a jar of perfume. She had given much money for this. As Jesus ate, she poured the perfume on His head. ⁸ When the followers saw it, they were angry. They said, "Why was this wasted? ⁹ This perfume could have been sold for much money and given to poor people."

¹⁰ Jesus knew what they were saying. He said to them, "Why are you giving this woman trouble? She has done a good thing to Me. ¹¹ You will have poor people with you all the time. But you will not have Me with you all the time. ¹² She put this perfume on My body to make it ready for the grave. ¹³ For sure, I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in all the world, this woman will be remembered for what she has done."

Judas Hands Jesus Over to Be Killed ^(c)

¹⁴ Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve followers. He went to the religious leaders of the Jews. ¹⁵ He said, "What will you pay me if I hand Jesus over to you?" They promised to pay him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ From that time on Judas looked for a way to hand Jesus over to them.

Getting Ready for the Special Supper ^(d)

¹⁷ On the first day of the supper of bread without yeast the followers came to Jesus. They said, "What place do You want us to make ready for You to eat the supper of the special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt?" ¹⁸ He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, "My time is near. I will eat the special supper at your house with My followers."'" ¹⁹ The followers did as Jesus told them. They made things ready for this special supper.

The Last Special Supper ^(e)

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus sat with the twelve followers. ²¹ As they were eating, Jesus said, "For sure, I tell you, one of you will hand Me over." ²² They were very sad. They said to Him one after the other, "Lord, is it I?" ²³ He said, "The one who will hand Me over is the one who has just put his hand with Mine in the dish. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going away as it is written of Him. It is bad for that man who hands the Son of Man over! It would have been better if he had not been born!" ²⁵ Judas was the one who was handing Jesus over. He said, "Teacher, am I the one?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it."

The First Lord's Supper ^(f)

²⁶ As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread. He gave thanks and broke it in pieces. He gave it to His followers and said, "Take, eat, this is My body." ²⁷ Then He took the cup and gave thanks. He gave it to them and said, "You must all drink from it. ²⁸ This is My blood of the New Way of Worship which is given for many. It is given so the sins of many can be forgiven. ²⁹ I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until that day when I will drink it new with you in the holy nation of My Father." ³⁰ After they sang a song they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Tells How Peter Will Lie about Him ^(g)

³¹ Jesus said to them, "All of you will be ashamed of Me and leave Me tonight. For it is written, ‘I will kill the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be spread everywhere.' ^{(h) 32} After I am raised from the dead, I will go before you to the country of Galilee."

³³ Peter said to Jesus, "Even if all men give up and turn away because of You, I will never." ³⁴ Jesus said to him, "For sure, I tell you, before a rooster crows this night, you will say three times you do not know Me." ³⁵ Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will never say I do not know You." And all the followers said the same thing.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane ⁽ⁱ⁾

³⁶ Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, "You sit here while I go over there to pray." ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him. He began to have much sorrow and a heavy heart. ³⁸ Then He said to them, "My soul is very sad. My soul is so full of sorrow I am ready to die. You stay here and watch with Me."

³⁹ He went on a little farther and got down with His face on the ground. He prayed, "My Father, if it can be done, take away what is before Me. Even so, not what I want but what You want."

⁴⁰ Then He came to the followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, "Were you not able to watch with Me one hour? ⁴¹ Watch and pray so that you will not be tempted. Man's spirit is willing, but the body does not have the power to do it."

⁴² He went away again the second time. He prayed, saying, "My Father, if this must happen to Me, may whatever You want be done." ⁴³ He came and found them asleep again. Their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ He went away from them the third time and prayed the same prayer.

⁴⁵ Then He came to His followers and asked them, "Are you still sleeping and getting your rest? As I speak, the time has come when the Son of Man will be handed over to sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up and let us go. See! The man who will hand Me over is near."

Jesus Handed Over to Sinners ^(j)

⁴⁷ Judas, one of the twelve followers, came while Jesus was talking. He came with many others who had swords and sticks. They came from the religious leaders of the Jews and the leaders of the people. ⁴⁸ The man who handed Jesus over gave the men something to look for. He said, "The One I kiss is the One you want. Take Him!" ⁴⁹ At once Judas went up to Jesus and said, "Hello, Teacher," and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came and put their hands on Jesus and took Him.

⁵¹ One of those with Jesus took his sword. He hit the servant who was owned by the religious leader and cut off his ear. ⁵² Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs. Everyone who uses a sword will die with a sword. ⁵³ Do you not think that I can pray to My Father? At once He would send Me more than 70,000 angels. ⁵⁴ If I did, how could it happen as the Holy Writings said it would happen? It must be this way."

⁵⁵ Then Jesus said to the many people, "Have you come with swords and sticks to take Me as if I were a robber? I have been with you every day teaching in the house of God. You never put your hands on Me then. ⁵⁶ But this has happened as the early preachers said in the Holy Writings it would happen." Then all the followers left Him and ran away.

Jesus Stands in Front of the Religious Leaders ^(k)

⁵⁷ Those who had taken Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas. He was the head religious leader. The teachers of the Law and the other leaders were gathered there. ⁵⁸ But Peter followed Him a long way behind while going to the house of the head religious leader. Then he went in and sat with the helpers to see what would happen.

⁵⁹ The religious leaders and the other leaders and all the court were looking for false things to say against Jesus. They wanted some reason to kill Him. ⁶⁰ They found none, but many came and told false things about Him. At last two came to the front. ⁶¹ They said, "This Man said, ‘I am able to destroy the house of God and build it up again in three days.'"

⁶² Then the head religious leader stood up. He said to Jesus, "Have You nothing to say? What about the things these men are saying against You?" ⁶³ Jesus said nothing. Then the head religious leader said to Him, "In the name of the living God, I tell You to say the truth. Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God." ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, "What you said is true. I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated on the right hand of the All-powerful God. You will see Him coming on the clouds of the sky."

⁶⁵ Then the head religious leader tore his clothes apart. He said, "He has spoken as if He were God! Do we need other people to speak against Him yet? You have heard Him speak as if He were God! ⁶⁶ What do you think?" They said, "He is guilty of death!"

⁶⁷ Then they spit on His face. They hit Him with their hands. Others beat Him. ⁶⁸ They said, "Tell us, Christ, You Who can tell what is going to happen, who hit You?"

Peter Said He Did Not Know Jesus ^(l)

⁶⁹ Peter sat outside in the yard. A young servant-girl came to him. She said, "You were also with Jesus Who is from the country of Galilee!" ⁷⁰ But Peter lied in front of all of them, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." ⁷¹ After he had gone out, another young servant-girl saw him. She said to those standing around, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." ⁷² Again he lied and swore, "I do not know this Man!" ⁷³ After a little while some of the people standing around came up to Peter and said, "For sure, you are one of them. You talk like they do." ⁷⁴ Then he began to say bad words and swear. He said, "I do not know the Man!" At once a rooster crowed.

⁷⁵ Peter remembered the words Jesus had said to him, "Before a rooster crows, you will say three times you do not know Me." Peter went outside and cried with loud cries.