Matthew 26:31-75

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Peter’s Denial Predicted

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away^[a] because of Me, for it is written:

³² But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”^(B)

³³ Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”

³⁴ “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”^(C)

³⁵ “Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

The Prayer in the Garden

³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,^[c](D) and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.^{(E) 38} Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow^[d] —to the point of death.^[e] Remain here and stay awake with Me.”^{(F) 39} Going a little farther,^[f] He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”^(G)

⁴⁰ Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you^[g] stay awake with Me one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this^[h] cannot pass^[i] unless I drink it, Your will be done.”^{(H) 43} And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.^[j]

⁴⁴ After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵ Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?^[k] Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.^{(I) 46} Get up; let’s go! See, My betrayer is near.”

The Judas Kiss

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.^(J) A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸ His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!” ⁴⁹ So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

⁵⁰ “Friend,”^(K) Jesus asked him, “why have you come?”^[l]

Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. ⁵¹ At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his ear.^(L)

⁵² Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.^{(M) 53} Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions^[m] of angels?^{(N) 54} How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(O) that say it must happen this way?”

⁵⁵ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,^[n] to capture Me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple complex, and you didn’t arrest Me.^{(P) 56} But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures^[o](Q) would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples^(R) deserted Him and ran away.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

⁵⁷ Those^(S) who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas^(T) the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. ⁵⁸ Meanwhile, Peter was following Him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard.^[p] He went in and was sitting with the temple police^[q] to see the outcome.^[r](U)

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.^{(V) 60} But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses^(W) came forward.^[s] Finally, two^[t] who came forward ⁶¹ stated, “This man said, ‘I can demolish God’s sanctuary^(X) and rebuild it in three days.’”

⁶² The high priest then stood up and said to Him, “Don’t You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?” ⁶³ But^(Y) Jesus kept silent.^(Z) Then the high priest said to Him, “By the living God I place You under oath:^(AA) tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God!”^(AB)

⁶⁴ “You have said it,”^[u] Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future^[v] you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^(AC)[w]

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!^(AD) Why do we still need witnesses? Look, now you’ve heard the blasphemy!^{(AE) 66} What is your decision?”^[x]

They answered, “He deserves death!”^{(AF) 67} Then they spit in His face^(AG) and beat Him; others slapped Him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit You?”^(AH)

Peter Denies His Lord

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.^(AI) A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”

⁷⁰ But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

⁷¹ When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!”^(AJ)

⁷² And again he denied it with an oath,^(AK) “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent^[y] gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he started to curse^[z] and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, ⁷⁵ and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”^(AL) And he went outside and wept bitterly.