1 aNow the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the bPassover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the scribes awere seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. 3 aAnd bSatan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and aofficers how he might betray Him to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd. 7 aThen came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which bthe Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 And Jesus sent aPeter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it." 9 They said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare it?" 10 And He said to them, "When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. 11 "And you shall say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' 12 "And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there." 13 And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover. 14 aWhen the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and bthe apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it auntil it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 aAnd when He had taken a cup and bgiven thanks, He said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for aI say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes." 19 And when He had taken some bread and agiven thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is apoured out for you is the bnew covenant in My blood. 21 "aBut behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. 22 "For indeed, the Son of Man is going aas it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" 23 And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. 24 And there arose also aa dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25 aAnd He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' 26 "But it is not this way with you, abut the one who is the greatest among you must become like bthe youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 "For awho is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But bI am among you as the one who serves. 28 "You are those who have stood by Me in My atrials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a akingdom, I grant you 30 that you may aeat and drink at My table in My bkingdom, and cyou will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 "Simon, Simon, behold, aSatan has demanded permission to bsift you like wheat; 32 but I ahave prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, bstrengthen your brothers." 33 aBut he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" 34 And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me." 35 And He said to them, "aWhen I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." 36 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 37 "For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, 'aAND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS'; for bthat which refers to Me has its fulfillment." 38 They said, "Lord, look, here are two aswords." And He said to them, "It is enough." 39 aAnd He came out and proceeded bas was His custom to cthe Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 aWhen He arrived at the place, He said to them, "bPray that you may not enter into temptation." 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He aknelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this acup from Me; byet not My will, but Yours be done." 43 Now an aangel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And abeing in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46 and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and apray that you may not enter into temptation." 47 aWhile He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 49 When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the asword?" 50 And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, "Stop! No more of this." And He touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and aofficers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs bas you would against a robber? 53 "While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours." 54 aHaving arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but bPeter was following at a distance. 55 aAfter they had kindled a fire in the middle of bthe courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56 And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, "This man was with Him too." 57 But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." 58 A little later, aanother saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" 59 After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, "Certainly this man also was with Him, afor he is a Galilean too." 60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 aThe Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "bBefore a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. 63 aNow the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him, 64 and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, "aProphesy, who is the one who hit You?" 65 And they were saying many other things against Him, ablaspheming. 66 aWhen it was day, bthe Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their ccouncil chamber, saying, 67 "aIf You are the Christ, tell us." But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 "aBut from now on bTHE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD." 70 And they all said, "Are You athe Son of God, then?" And He said to them, "bYes, I am." 71 Then they said, "What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."