Matthäus 26,1 | New International Reader’s Version

The plan to kill Jesus

1 Jesus finished saying all these things. Then he said to his disciples, 2 ‘As you know, the Passover Feast is two days away. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross.’ 3 Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. 4 They made plans to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. 5 ‘But not during the feast,’ they said. ‘The people may stir up trouble.’

A woman pours perfume on Jesus

6 Jesus was in Bethany. He was in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. 7 A woman came to Jesus with a special sealed jar of very expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on his head while he was at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they became angry. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. 9 ‘The perfume could have been sold at a high price. The money could have been given to poor people.’ 10 Jesus was aware of this. So he said to them, ‘Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me. 12 She poured the perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. 13 What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere this good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.’

Judas agrees to hand Jesus over

14 One of the 12 disciples went to the chief priests. His name was Judas Iscariot. 15 He asked, ‘What will you give me if I hand Jesus over to you?’ So they counted out 30 silver coins for him. 16 From then on, Judas watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.

The Lord’s Supper

17 It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The disciples came to Jesus. They asked, ‘Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?’ 18 He replied, ‘Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him, “The Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” ’ 19 So the disciples did what Jesus had told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal. 20 When evening came, Jesus was at the table with his 12 disciples. 21 While they were eating, he said, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you will hand me over to my enemies.’ 22 The disciples became very sad. One after the other, they began to say to him, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Lord, do you?’ 23 Jesus replied, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will hand me over. 24 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.’ 25 Judas was the one who was going to hand him over. He said, ‘Surely you don’t mean me, Teacher, do you?’ Jesus answered, ‘You have said so.’ 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, ‘Take this and eat it. This is my body.’ 27 Then he took a cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. He said, ‘All of you drink from it. 28 This is my blood of the covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many people. 29 Here is what I tell you. From now on, I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ 30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus says that the disciples will turn away

31 Jesus told them, ‘This very night you will all turn away because of me. It is written that the Lord said, ‘ “I will strike the shepherd down. Then the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” 32 But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ 33 Peter replied, ‘All the others may turn away because of you. But I never will.’ 34 ‘What I’m about to tell you is true,’ Jesus answered. ‘It will happen tonight. Before the cockerel crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.’ 35 But Peter said, ‘I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.’ And all the other disciples said the same thing.

Jesus prays in Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him. He began to be sad and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sad. I feel close to death. Stay here. Keep watch with me.’ 39 He went a little further. Then he fell with his face to the ground. He prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.’ 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. 41 ‘Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ 42 Jesus went away a second time. He prayed, ‘My Father, is it possible for this cup to be taken away? But if I must drink it, may what you want be done.’ 43 Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he left them and went away once more. For the third time he prayed the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples. He said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come. The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners. 46 Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!’

Jesus is arrested

47 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. He was one of the 12 disciples. A large crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests and the elders of the people had sent them. 48 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.’ 49 So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ And he kissed him. 50 Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came to do.’ Then the men stepped forward. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 At that moment, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword. He pulled it out and struck the slave of the high priest with it. He cut off the slave’s ear. 52 ‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him. ‘All who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I can’t ask my Father for help? He would send an army of more than 70,000 angels right away. 54 But then how would the Scriptures come true? They say it must happen in this way.’ 55 At that time Jesus spoke to the crowd. ‘Am I leading a band of armed men against you?’ he asked. ‘Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courtyard teaching. And you didn’t arrest me. 56 But all this has happened so that the words of the prophets would come true.’ Then all the disciples left him and ran away.

Jesus is taken to the Sanhedrin

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders had come together there. 58 Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see what would happen. 59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. 60 But they did not find any proof, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two other witnesses came forward. 61 They said, ‘This fellow claimed, “I am able to destroy the temple of God. I can build it again in three days.” ’ 62 Then the high priest stood up. He asked Jesus, ‘Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges that these men are bringing against you?’ 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, ‘I am commanding you in the name of the living God. May he judge you if you don’t tell the truth. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’ 64 ‘You have said so,’ Jesus replied. ‘But here is what I say to all of you. From now on, 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.’ 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes. He said, ‘He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. 66 What do you think?’ ‘He must die!’ they answered. 67 Then they spat in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68 They said, ‘Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit you?’

Peter says he does not know Jesus

69 Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. A female servant came to him. ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said. 70 But in front of all of them, Peter said he was not. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said. 71 Then he went out to the gate leading into the courtyard. There another servant saw him. She said to the people, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ 72 Again he said he was not. With a curse he said, ‘I don’t know the man!’ 73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter. ‘You must be one of them,’ they said. ‘The way you talk gives you away.’ 74 Then Peter began to curse and said to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Right away a cockerel crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said. ‘The cockerel will crow,’ Jesus had told him. ‘Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.’ Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.

English Standard Version

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,* 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.* 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 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.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the* covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch* with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, 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, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.* See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”* Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant* of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council

57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council* were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”* 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthäus 26,1 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version