Matthew 26

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, ^{a26:1 Lit. finished all these sayings} he told his disciples,ISV — Matthew 26:1

2 “You know that the Passover will take place in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”ISV — Matthew 26:2

3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas.ISV — Matthew 26:3

4 They conspired to arrest Jesus by treachery and to kill him.ISV — Matthew 26:4

5 But they kept saying, “This must not happen during the festival. Otherwise, there’ll be a riot among the people.” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 26:5

6 While Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper,ISV — Matthew 26:6

7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head while he sat at the table.ISV — Matthew 26:7

8 But when the disciples saw this, they became irritated and said, “Why this waste?ISV — Matthew 26:8

9 Surely this perfume could’ve been sold for a high price and the money ^{b26:9 The Gk. lacks the money} given to the destitute.”ISV — Matthew 26:9

10 But knowing this, ^{c26:10 The Gk. lacks this} Jesus asked them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me.ISV — Matthew 26:10

11 You’ll always have the destitute with you, but you’ll not always have me.ISV — Matthew 26:11

12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she was preparing me for burial.ISV — Matthew 26:12

13 I tell all of you ^{d26:13 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.} with certainty, wherever this gospel is proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 26:13

14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the high priestsISV — Matthew 26:14

15 and inquired, “What are you willing to give me if I betray Jesus ^{e26:15 Lit. him} to you?” They offered him 30 pieces of silver,ISV — Matthew 26:15

16 and from then on he began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus. ^{f26:16 Lit. him} ( ; , 21-23; )ISV — Matthew 26:16

17 On the first day of the Festival ^{g26:17 The Gk. lacks day of the Festival} of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”ISV — Matthew 26:17

18 He said, “Go to a certain man in the city and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.” ’” ^{h26:18 Lit. with you}ISV — Matthew 26:18

19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.ISV — Matthew 26:19

20 When evening came, Jesus ^{i26:20 Lit. he} was sitting at the table with the Twelve. ^{j26:20 Other mss. read twelve disciples}ISV — Matthew 26:20

21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell all of you ^{k26:21 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.} with certainty, one of you is going to betray me.”ISV — Matthew 26:21

22 Feeling deeply distressed, each one began to ask him, “Surely I am not the one, Lord?”ISV — Matthew 26:22

23 He replied, “The man who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.ISV — Matthew 26:23

24 The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him. How terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.”ISV — Matthew 26:24

25 Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, “Rabbi, ^{l26:25 Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher.} I’m not the one, am I?” Jesus ^{m26:25 Lit. He} told him, “You have said so.” ( ; )ISV — Matthew 26:25

26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”ISV — Matthew 26:26

27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,ISV — Matthew 26:27

28 because this is my blood of the new ^{n26:28 Other mss. lack new} covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins.ISV — Matthew 26:28

29 I tell all of you ^{o26:29 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.} I will never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it with you once again in my Father’s kingdom.”ISV — Matthew 26:29

30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. ( ; ; )ISV — Matthew 26:30

31 Then Jesus told them, “All of you will turn against me this very night, because it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ^{p26:31 Cf. Zech 13:7}ISV — Matthew 26:31

32 However, after I have been raised, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”ISV — Matthew 26:32

33 But Peter told him, “Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won’t!”ISV — Matthew 26:33

34 Jesus told him, “I tell you ^{q26:34 The Gk. pronoun you is sing.} with certainty, before a rooster crows this very night, you will deny me three times.”ISV — Matthew 26:34

35 Peter told him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the disciples said the same thing. ( ; )ISV — Matthew 26:35

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told the disciples, “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.”ISV — Matthew 26:36

37 Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, he began to be grieved and troubled.ISV — Matthew 26:37

38 Then he told them, “I’m so deeply grieved that I feel I’m about to die. Wait here and stay awake with me.”ISV — Matthew 26:38

39 Going on a little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not what I want but what you want.”ISV — Matthew 26:39

40 When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He told Peter, “So, you men couldn’t stay awake with me for one hour, could you?ISV — Matthew 26:40

41 All of you must stay awake and pray that you won’t be tempted. The spirit is indeed willing, but the body ^{r26:41 Lit. flesh} is weak.”ISV — Matthew 26:41

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot go away unless I drink it, let your will be done.”ISV — Matthew 26:42

43 Then he came back and found them asleep, because they could not keep their eyes open.ISV — Matthew 26:43

44 After leaving them again, he went away and prayed again for the third time, saying the same thing.ISV — Matthew 26:44

45 Then he came back to the disciples and told them, “You might as well keep on sleeping and resting. ^{s26:45 Or Are you still sleeping and resting?} Look! The time is near for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.ISV — Matthew 26:45

46 Get up! Let’s go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!” ( ; ; )ISV — Matthew 26:46

47 Just then, while Jesus ^{t26:47 Lit. he} was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. A large crowd armed with swords and clubs was with him. They were from the high priests and elders of the people.ISV — Matthew 26:47

48 Now the betrayer personally had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss ^{u26:48 People customarily greeted their friends with a kiss.} is the man. Arrest him.”ISV — Matthew 26:48

49 So Judas ^{v26:49 Lit. he} immediately went up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Rabbi!” ^{w26:49 Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher.} and kissed him tenderly.ISV — Matthew 26:49

50 Jesus asked him, “Friend, why are you here?” ^{x26:50 Or do what you came for} Then the other men ^{y26:50 Lit. they} surged forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.ISV — Matthew 26:50

51 Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.ISV — Matthew 26:51

52 Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword.ISV — Matthew 26:52

53 Don’t you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now?ISV — Matthew 26:53

54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?”ISV — Matthew 26:54

55 At this point, ^{z26:55 Lit. In that hour} Jesus asked the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a bandit? ^{aa26:55 Or revolutionary} Day after day I sat teaching in the Temple, yet you didn’t arrest me.ISV — Matthew 26:55

56 But all of this has happened so that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Jesus ^{bb26:56 Lit. him} and ran away. ( ; , 63-71; , 19-24)ISV — Matthew 26:56

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.ISV — Matthew 26:57

58 Peter, however, followed him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard. He went inside and sat down with the servants to see how this would end.ISV — Matthew 26:58

59 Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Council ^{cc26:59 Or Sanhedrin} were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death.ISV — Matthew 26:59

60 But they couldn’t find any, even though many false witnesses had come forward. At last two men came forwardISV — Matthew 26:60

61 and stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the sanctuary of God and rebuild it in three days.’”ISV — Matthew 26:61

62 At this, the high priest stood up and asked Jesus, ^{dd26:62 Lit. him} “Don’t you have any answer to what these men are testifying against you?”ISV — Matthew 26:62

63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest told him, “I command you by the living God to tell us if you are the Messiah, ^{ee26:63 Or Christ} the Son of God!”ISV — Matthew 26:63

64 Jesus told him, “You have said so. Nevertheless I tell you, from now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power’ ^{ff26:64 Cf. Ps 110:1} and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’” ^{gg26:64 Cf. Dan 7:13}ISV — Matthew 26:64

65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Listen! You yourselves have just heard the blasphemy!ISV — Matthew 26:65

66 What is your verdict?” They replied, “He deserves to die!”ISV — Matthew 26:66

67 Then they spit in his face and hit him. Some slapped him,ISV — Matthew 26:67

68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! ^{hh26:68 Or Christ} Who hit ^{ii26:68 Lit. Who is the one who hit} you?” ( ; ; , 25-27)ISV — Matthew 26:68

69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.”ISV — Matthew 26:69

70 But he denied it in front of them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he exclaimed.ISV — Matthew 26:70

71 As he went out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.” ^{jj26:71 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (see Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.}ISV — Matthew 26:71

72 Again he denied it and swore with an oath, “I don’t know the man!”ISV — Matthew 26:72

73 After a little while, the people who were standing there came up and told Peter, “Obviously you’re also one of them, because your accent gives you away.”ISV — Matthew 26:73

74 Then he began to curse violently. “I don’t know the man!” he swore solemnly. Just then a rooster crowed.ISV — Matthew 26:74

75 Peter remembered the words of Jesus when he said, “Before a rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.” Then he went outside and cried bitterly.ISV — Matthew 26:75