Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was two days later, and the chief priests and the teachers of the religious law tried to think of a way to trick Jesus so they could take Him and kill Him. They said, "We should not do it during the feast, because the people could cause trouble and be violent if we do it then."
A woman came with a small alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, when Jesus was in Bethany eating at the house of Simon the leper. This perfume was made from pure nard, and she broke the jar of perfume and poured it over Jesus' head. Some people who were there were angry and they said to each other, "Why was this perfume wasted? It could be sold for more than 300 denarii, and the money could be given to poor people." They rebuked her strongly.
But Jesus said, "Let her do it. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good thing to Me. There will always be poor people with you, and you can do good things for them any time you want to. But I will not always be with you. She has done what she could do. She anointed My body before it is time to be buried. I tell you the truth, what this woman has done will be spoken about in memory of her wherever the good news is preached in all the world."
Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests so he could betray Jesus to them. They were happy when they heard this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to try to think of the right time and place to betray Jesus to them.
Jesus' followers spoke with Him on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb. They said to Him, "Where do You want us to go to make things ready, so You can eat the Passover meal?" He sent two of His followers after He said to them, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man there carrying a large jar of water. Follow him and say to the owner of the house he goes into, 'The Teacher asks, Where is My guestroom where I can eat the Passover meal with My followers?' He will show you a large room upstairs with everything ready. Make things ready for us there." His followers went out, and came into the city. They found the things there just like He told them. Then they made the Passover meal ready.
Jesus came with the Twelve when it was evening. He said to them as they lay down at the table and ate, "I tell you the truth, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me."
They became deeply sad, and each one of the twelve asked Him, "It isn't I, is it?"
He said to them, "It is one of the Twelve. He is the man who puts bread into the same bowl with Me. The Son of Man will die just like it was written about Him. But woe to that man through whom the Son of Man will be betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had not been born."
Jesus took bread while they ate and He thanked God for it. He broke it into pieces and gave it to His followers and said, "This is My body. Take it." After He took a cup and thanked God for it, He gave it to them and they all drank from it. Then He said to them, "This is My blood that is poured out for many people. It represents the new agreement. I tell you the truth, I will not drink from the fruit of the vine again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
They went out to the Mountain of Olives after they sang a hymn.
Jesus said to them, "All of you will turn away from Me because it is written, 'I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away in all directions.' But I will go into Galilee ahead of you after I am brought back to life from death."
But Peter said to Him, "I will not turn away from You even if everyone turns away."
Jesus said to him, "I tell you the truth, you will say you do not know Me three times tonight, before the rooster crows two times."
But Peter continued to say even more strongly, "I will never say I do not know You, even if I must die with You!" All the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus and the Twelve came to a place named Gethsemane , and He said to His followers, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James, and John with Him and He was deeply sad and troubled. He said to them, "My soul is deeply sad. The sadness is almost killing Me. Stay here and watch." He went a little farther, and fell to the ground and prayed for that time to leave Him if possible. He said, "Abba, Father, it is possible for You to do all things. Take this cup away from Me. But let what You want happen, and not what I want." Then He came to His followers and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn't you watch for one hour? Continue to watch and pray, so you will not come into temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak." He went away again and prayed the same words. Then He came again and found them sleeping, because their eyes were becoming tired. They did not know what to answer Him. He came again the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is decided. The time has come. Look, the Son of Man will be betrayed soon to sinners. Get up. Let's go. The man who will betray Me is here."
Judas, who was one of the Twelve followers, came immediately while Jesus was still speaking. A crowd of people sent by the chief priests, teachers of the religious law, and the religious leaders, came with Judas. They carried swords and large heavy sticks. The man who betrayed Jesus had given a sign to the Jewish leaders. He told them, "The man I kiss is Jesus. Take Him, and lead Him away with a man to guard Him." Judas went immediately to Jesus when He came near them, and said, "Teacher!" and he kissed Him. Then they took Him and led Him away. But one of Jesus' followers who stood near them took out his sword and hit the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
Jesus said to them, "Have you come with swords and large sticks to take Me like you take a thief? I was with you every day when I taught in the temple, but you did not take.
But this has happened so the things written in God's Word can be fulfilled." They all left Him and ran away.
A young man followed Jesus, and he had only a cloth around his body. The men tried to take him, but he left the cloth there, and ran away from them without any clothes on his body.
They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the religious leaders, and the teachers of the religious law came together there. Peter walked far behind Jesus and followed Him into the courtyard of the high priest. He sat with the guards near the fire to make his body warm. The chief priests and all the council tried to get a false report against Jesus so they could kill Him. But they did not find any. Many gave false reports against Him, but they did not agree with each other when they said these things. Some of them stood and gave false reports against Him and said, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple that was made by people's hands, and I will build another temple in three days that is not made by people's hands.'" Even then their reports did not agree.
Then the high priest stood and came forward and asked Jesus, "Won't You answer any of these things? What is this that these people reported against You?" But He was quiet and did not give any answer. The high priest asked Him again, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man sit at the right hand of Power and come with the clouds of heaven."
The high priest tore his clothes and said, "Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard the evil things He has said against God. What do you think?" They all decided He was guilty and should be killed.
Some of them began to spit at Him, and they covered His face so He could not see, and they beat Him. They said to Him, "Prophesy!" The guards took Him and hit His face with their hands.
One of the servant girls of the high priest came while Peter was down in the courtyard. She saw Peter warming his body and she looked at him and said, "You were also with Jesus, the Nazarene."
But he said it was not true and he said, "I do not know or understand what you are saying." Then he went out onto the porch.
The servant girl saw him, and began to say again to the people who stood near there, "This man is one of their group."
But Peter said again it was not true. A little later, the people who stood near there, said to Peter, "It is certain that you are one of their group, because you are from Galilee."
But he began to curse and he said very strongly, "I do not know this man you speak about."
The rooster crowed immediately the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus said to him, "You will say you do not know Me three times, before the rooster crows two times." And he began to cry.