Mar 14 | ESV | STEP | 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 ,

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

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 ^eAnd while he was at ^fBethany in the house of Simon the leper, ^{▼▼Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13} 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 ^{▼▼A denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer} and ⁱgiven to the poor.” And they ^jscolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For ^kyou always have the poor with you, and whenever ^lyou want, you can do good for them. But ^myou will not always have me. 8 ⁿShe has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand ^ofor burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever ^pthe gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told ^qin memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

10 ^rThen ^sJudas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, ^twent 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 ^ubetray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

12 ^vAnd on ^wthe first day of Unleavened Bread, when they ^xsacrificed 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 ^ytwo 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, ^z‘The Teacher says, Where is ^aamy guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you ^aba 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 ^acAnd when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, ^adJesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, ^aeone 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 ^afone of the twelve, ^agone who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes ^ahas it is written of him, but ^aiwoe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^ajIt would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 ^akAnd as they were eating, he took bread, and after ^alblessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; ^amthis is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had ^angiven thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, ^ao“This is my ^apblood of the ^{▼▼Some manuscripts insert new} covenant, which is poured out for ^armany. 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 ^asAnd when they had sung a hymn, ^atthey went out to ^authe Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will ^avstrike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, ^awI will go before you to Galilee.” 29 ^axPeter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And ^ayJesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before ^azthe rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But ^bahe said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 ^bbAnd they went ^bcto a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him ^bdPeter and James and John, and began ^beto be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, ^bf“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and ^bgwatch.” ^{▼▼Or keep awake; also verses 37, 38} 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground ^biand prayed that, if it were possible, ^bjthe hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, ^bk“Abba, Father, ^blall things are possible for you. Remove ^bmthis cup from me. ^bnYet 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 ^boWatch and ^bppray that you may not ^bqenter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, ^brsaying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for ^bstheir eyes were very heavy, and ^btthey 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? ^buIt is enough; ^bvthe hour has come. ^bwThe 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 ^bxAnd immediately, while he was still speaking, ^byJudas 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, ^bz“Rabbi!” And he ^cakissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his ^cbsword and struck the servant ^{▼▼Greek bondservant} 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 ^cdDay after day I was with you in the temple ^ceteaching, and you did not seize me. But ^cflet the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 ^cgAnd they all left him and fled.

A Young Man Flees

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but ^cha 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 ^ciAnd ^cjthey led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. 54 ^ckAnd ^clPeter had followed him at a distance, ^cmright into ^cnthe courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with ^cothe guards and ^cpwarming himself at the fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole council ^{▼▼Greek Sanhedrin} were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 ^crFor many bore false witness against him, but their testimony ^csdid not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58 ^ct“We heard him say, ^cu‘I will destroy this temple ^cvthat is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, ^cwnot 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?” ^{▼▼Or Have you no answer to what these men testify against you?} 61 But ^cyhe remained silent and made no answer. ^czAgain the high priest asked him, “Are you ^dathe Christ, the Son of ^dbthe Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and ^dcyou will see the Son of Man ^ddseated at the right hand of Power, and ^decoming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest ^dftore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard ^dghis blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they ^dhall condemned him as ^dideserving death. 65 ^djAnd some began ^dkto spit on him and ^dlto cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him ^dmwith blows.

Peter Denies Jesus

66 ^dnAnd as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter ^dowarming 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 ^{▼▼Or forecourt} and ^dqthe rooster crowed. ^{▼▼Some manuscripts omit 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 ^dsa second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, ^dt“Before the rooster crows twice, you will ^dudeny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. ^{▼▼Or And when he had thought about it, he wept}