The Plot to Kill Jesus

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

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 ^bAnd while he was at ^cBethany in the house of Simon the leper,¹ 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 denarii² and ^dgiven to the poor.” And they ^escolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For ^fyou always have the poor with you, and whenever ^gyou want, you can do good for them. But ^hyou will not always have me. 8 ⁱShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand ^jfor burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever ^kthe gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told ^lin memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

10 ^mThen ⁿJudas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, ⁿwent 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 ^obetray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

12 ^pAnd on ^qthe first day of Unleavened Bread, when they ^rsacrificed 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 ^stwo 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, ^t‘The Teacher says, Where is ^umy guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you ^va 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 ^wAnd when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, ^xJesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, ^yone 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 ^zone of the twelve, ^yone who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes ^aas it is written of him, but ^bwoe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^cIt would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 ^dAnd as they were eating, he took bread, and after ^eblessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; ^fthis is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had ^ggiven thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, ^f“This is my ^hblood of the³ covenant, which is poured out for ⁱmany. 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 ^jAnd when they had sung a hymn, ^kthey went out to ^lthe Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will ^mstrike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, ⁿI will go before you to Galilee.” 29 ^oPeter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And ^pJesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before ^qthe rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But ^rhe said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 ^sAnd they went ^kto a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him ^tPeter and James and John, and began ^uto be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, ^v“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and ^wwatch.”⁴ 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground ^xand prayed that, if it were possible, ^ythe hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, ^z“Abba, Father, ^aall things are possible for you. Remove ^bthis cup from me. ^cYet 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 ^wWatch and ^dpray that you may not ^eenter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, ^fsaying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for ^gtheir eyes were very heavy, and ^hthey 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? ⁱIt is enough; ^jthe hour has come. ^kThe 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 ^lAnd immediately, while he was still speaking, ^mJudas 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, ⁿ“Rabbi!” And he ^okissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his ^psword and struck the servant⁵ 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 ^qDay after day I was with you in the temple ^rteaching, and you did not seize me. But ^slet the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 ^tAnd they all left him and fled.

A Young Man Flees

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but ^ua 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 ^vAnd ^wthey led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 ^wAnd ^xPeter had followed him at a distance, ^yright into ^zthe courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with ^athe guards and ^bwarming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council⁶ were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 ^cFor many bore false witness against him, but their testimony ^ddid not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 ^e“We heard him say, ^f‘I will destroy this temple ^gthat is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, ^hnot 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?”⁷ 61 But ⁱhe remained silent and made no answer. ^jAgain the high priest asked him, “Are you ^kthe Christ, the Son of ^lthe Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and ^myou will see the Son of Man ⁿseated at the right hand of Power, and ^mcoming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest ^otore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard ^phis blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they ^qall condemned him as ^rdeserving death. 65 ^sAnd some began ^tto spit on him and ^uto cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him ^vwith blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

66 ^wAnd as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter ^xwarming 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 gateway⁸ and ^ythe rooster crowed.⁹ 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 ^za second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ^a“Before the rooster crows twice, you will ^bdeny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.¹⁰

Book Two

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil¹ of ^sthe Sons of Korah.