Markus 14,39 | New International Reader’s Version

A woman pours perfume on Jesus at Bethany

1 The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were plotting to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. 2 ‘But not during the feast,’ they said. ‘The people may stir up trouble.’ 3 Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the table in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came with a special sealed jar. It contained very expensive perfume made out of pure nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head. 4 Some of the people there became angry. They said to one another, ‘Why waste this perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s pay. The money could have been given to poor people.’ So they found fault with the woman. 6 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus said. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 You will always have poor people with you. You can help them any time you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. 9 What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere the good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.’ 10 Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples. He went to the chief priests to hand Jesus over to them. 11 They were delighted to hear that he would do this. They promised to give Judas money. So he watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.

The Last Supper

12 It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That was the time to sacrifice the Passover lamb. Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?’ 13 So he sent out two of his disciples. He told them, ‘Go into the city. A man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 He will enter a house. Say to its owner, “The Teacher asks, ‘Where is my guest room? Where can I eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ ” 15 He will show you a large upstairs room. It will have furniture and will be ready. Prepare for us to eat there.’ 16 The disciples left and went into the city. They found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the 12 disciples. 18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you who is eating with me will hand me over to my enemies.’ 19 The disciples became sad. One by one they said to him, ‘Surely you don’t mean me?’ 20 ‘It is one of you,’ Jesus replied. ‘It is the one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.’ 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, ‘Take it. This is my body.’ 23 Then he took a cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. All of them drank from it. 24 ‘This is my blood of the covenant,’ he said to them. ‘It is poured out for many. 25 What I’m about to tell you is true. I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it in God’s kingdom.’ 26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus says that the disciples will turn away

27 ‘You will all turn away,’ Jesus told the disciples. ‘It is written, ‘ “I will strike the shepherd down. Then the sheep will be scattered.” 28 But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ 29 Peter said, ‘All the others may turn away. But I will not.’ 30 ‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus answered. ‘It will happen today, in fact tonight. Before the cockerel crows twice, you yourself will say three times that you don’t know me.’ 31 But Peter would not give in. He said, ‘I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.’ And all the others said the same thing.

Jesus prays in Gethsemane

32 Jesus and his disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him. He began to be very upset and troubled. 34 ‘My soul is very sad. I feel close to death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here. Keep watch.’ 35 He went a little further. Then he fell to the ground. He prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass by him. 36 ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.’ 37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon’, he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ 39 Once more Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him. 41 Jesus returned the third time. He said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look! The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners. 42 Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!’

Jesus is arrested

43 Just as Jesus was speaking, Judas appeared. He was one of the 12 disciples. A crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders had sent them. 44 Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, had arranged a signal with them. ‘The one I kiss is the man,’ he said. ‘Arrest him and have the guards lead him away.’ 45 So Judas went to Jesus at once. Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ And he kissed Jesus. 46 The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing nearby pulled his sword out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 ‘Am I leading a band of armed men against you?’ asked Jesus. ‘Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you. I taught in the temple courtyard, and you didn’t arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true.’ 50 Then everyone left him and ran away. 51 A young man was following Jesus. The man was wearing nothing but a piece of linen cloth. When the crowd grabbed him, 52 he ran away naked. He left his clothing behind.

Jesus is taken to the Sanhedrin

53 The crowd took Jesus to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards. He warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. But they did not find any proof. 56 Many witnesses lied about him. But their stories did not agree. 57 Then some of them stood up. Here is what those false witnesses said about him. 58 ‘We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple made by human hands. In three days I will build another temple, not made by human hands.” ’ 59 But what they said did not agree. 60 Then the high priest stood up in front of them. He asked Jesus, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges these men are bringing against you?’ 61 But Jesus remained silent. He gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of the Blessed One?’ 62 ‘I am’, said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.’ 63 The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. 64 ‘You have heard him say a very evil thing against God. What do you think?’ They all found him guilty and said he must die. 65 Then some began to spit at him. They blindfolded him. They hit him with their fists. They said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards took him and beat him.

Peter says he does not know Jesus

66 Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the high priest’s female servants came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. ‘You also were with Jesus, that Nazarene,’ she said. 68 But Peter said he had not been with him. ‘I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,’ he said. He went out to the entrance to the courtyard. 69 The servant saw him there. She said again to those standing around, ‘This fellow is one of them.’ 70 Again he said he was not. After a little while, those standing nearby said to Peter, ‘You must be one of them. You are from Galilee.’ 71 Then Peter began to curse. He said to them, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about!’ 72 Right away the cockerel crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had spoken to him. ‘The cockerel will crow twice,’ he had said. ‘Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.’ Peter broke down and cried.

English Standard Version

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,* as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii* and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the* covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.”* 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant* of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled.

A Young Man Flees

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Jesus Before the Council

53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council* were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. 60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”* 61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway* and the rooster crowed.* 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.*

Markus 14,39 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version