Chapter 26

  And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,  

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  Ye know that after two days is the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.  

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  Then assembled the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,  

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  And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.  

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  But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people.  

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  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,  

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  There came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at table.  

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  But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?  

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  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.  

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  When Jesus understood it, he said to them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.  

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  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.  

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  For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.  

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  Verily I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, which this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.  

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  Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,  

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  And said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.  

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  And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.  

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  Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?  

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  And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.  

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  And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.  

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  Now when the evening was come, he sat down with the twelve.  

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  And as they were eating, he said, Verily I say to you, that one of you will betray me.  

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  And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say to him, Lord, is it I?  

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  And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same will betray me.  

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  The Son of man goeth, as it is written concerning him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man, if he had not been born.  

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  Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said to him, Thou hast said.  

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  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.  

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  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;  

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  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sin.  

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  But I say to you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.  

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  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the mount of Olives.  

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  Then saith Jesus to them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  

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  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.  

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  Peter answered and said to him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.  

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  Jesus said to him, Verily I say to thee, that this night, before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.  

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  Peter said to him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.  

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  Then cometh Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray.  

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  And he took with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  

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  Then saith he to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.  

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  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.  

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  And he cometh to the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith to Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?  

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  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  

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  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.  

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  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.  

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  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.  

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  Then he cometh to his disciples, and saith to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  

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  Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.  

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  And while he was yet speaking, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staffs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.  

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  Now he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.  

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  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail Master; and kissed him.  

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  And Jesus said to him, Friend, Why art thou come? Then they came, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.  

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  And behold, one of them, who were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear.  

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  Then said Jesus to him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish by the sword.  

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  Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he will presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?  

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  But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  

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  In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staffs to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.  

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  But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.  

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  And they that had laid hold on Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  

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  But Peter followed him at a distance, to the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end.  

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  Now the chief priests and elders, and all the council, sought false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death;  

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  But found none: and, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,  

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  And said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.  

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  And the high priest arose, and said to him, Answerest thou nothing, what is it which these testify against thee?  

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  But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said to him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ the Son of God.  

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  Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.  

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  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.  

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  What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.  

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  Then they spit in his face, and buffetted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,  

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  Saying, Prophesy to us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?  

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  Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came to him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.  

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  But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.  

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  And when he had gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said to them that were there, This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth.  

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  And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.  

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  And after a while came to him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.  

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  Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed.  

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  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, Before the cock shall crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.  

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