Matthew 26

New American Standard Bible

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 ^(A)When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, ² “^(B)You know that after two days ^(C)the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be ^(D)handed over for crucifixion.”

^3 (E)At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in ^(F)the courtyard of the high priest named ^(G)Caiaphas; ⁴ and they ^(H)plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. ⁵ But they were saying, “Not during the festival, ^(I)otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

The Precious Ointment

^6 (J)Now when Jesus was in ^(K)Bethany, at the home of Simon ^[a]the Leper, ^7 (L)a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. ⁸ But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me. ¹¹ For you always have ^(M)the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. ¹² For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it ^(N)to prepare Me for burial. ¹³ Truly I say to you, ^(O)wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas’ Bargain

^14 (P)Then one of the twelve, named ^(Q)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What are you willing to give me ^[b]to ^[c](R)betray Him to you?” And ^(S)they set out for him thirty ^[d]pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to ^[e]betray ^[f]Jesus.

^17 (T)Now on the first day of ^[g](U)Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and ^[h]asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ And He said, “Go into the city to ^(V)a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “^(W)My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” ¹⁹ The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Last Passover

^20 (X)Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the ^[i]twelve. ²¹ And as they were eating, He said, “^(Y)Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” ²² Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: “Surely it is not I, Lord?” ²³ And He answered, “^(Z)He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going away ^(AA)just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(AB)It would have been good ^[j]for that man if he had not been born.” ²⁵ And ^(AC)Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, ^(AD)Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “^(AE)You have said it yourself.”

The Lord’s Supper Instituted

^26 (AF)Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and ^[k](AG)after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” ²⁷ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for ^(AH)this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for ^(AI)many for forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”

^30 (AJ)And after singing a ^[l]hymn, they went out to ^(AK)the Mount of Olives.

³¹ Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all ^[m](AL)fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘^(AM)I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be ^(AN)scattered.’ ³² But after I have been raised, ^(AO)I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ³³ But Peter replied to Him, “Even if they all ^[n]fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” ³⁴ Jesus said to him, “^(AP)Truly I say to you that ^(AQ)this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” ³⁵ Peter *said to Him, “^(AR)Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing as well.

The Garden of Gethsemane

^36 (AS)Then Jesus *came with them to a place called ^[o](AT)Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ And He took ^(AU)Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸ Then He *said to them, “^(AV)My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and ^(AW)keep watch with Me.”

³⁹ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let ^(AX)this cup pass from Me; ^(AY)yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰ And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter, “So, you men could not ^(AZ)keep watch with Me for one hour? ^41 (BA)Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; ^(BB)the spirit is ^[p]willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup ^(BC)cannot pass away unless I drink from it, ^(BD)Your will be done.” ⁴³ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵ Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “^[q]Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, ^(BE)the hour ^[r]is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up, let’s go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!”

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

^47 (BF)And while He was still speaking, behold, ^(BG)Judas, one of the twelve, came ^[s]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him.” ⁴⁹ And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, ^(BH)Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him, “^(BI)Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

⁵¹ And behold, ^(BJ)one of those who were with Jesus ^[t]reached and drew his ^(BK)sword, and struck the ^(BL)slave of the high priest and ^[u]cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for ^(BM)all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve ^[v](BN)legions of ^(BO)angels? ⁵⁴ How then would ^(BP)the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? ^(BQ)Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me. ⁵⁶ But all this has taken place so that ^(BR)the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

Jesus before Caiaphas

^57 (BS)Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to ^(BT)Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. ⁵⁸ But ^(BU)Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the ^(BV)courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the ^[w](BW)officers to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the entire ^[x](BX)Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. ⁶⁰ They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on ^(BY)two came forward, ⁶¹ and said, “This man stated, ‘^(BZ)I am able to destroy the ^[y]temple of God and to rebuild it ^[z]in three days.’” ⁶² The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You offer no answer for what these men are testifying against You?” ⁶³ But ^(CA)Jesus kept silent. ^(CB)And the high priest said to Him, “I ^(CC)place You under oath by ^(CD)the living God, to tell us whether You are the ^[aa]Christ, ^(CE)the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus *said to him, “^(CF)You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see ^(CG)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and ^(CH)coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵ Then the high priest ^(CI)tore his ^[ab]robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy; ⁶⁶ what do you think?” They answered, “^(CJ)He deserves death!”

^67 (CK)Then they ^(CL)spit in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others ^[ac]slapped Him, ⁶⁸ and said, “^(CM)Prophesy to us, You ^[ad]Christ; who is the one who hit You?”

Peter’s Denials

^69 (CN)Now Peter was sitting outside in the ^(CO)courtyard, and a slave woman came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ When he had gone out to the gateway, another slave woman saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it, with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You really are one of them as well, ^(CP)since even the way you talk ^[ae]gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had ^[af]made: “^(CQ)Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.