Matthew 26:36-74

New International Version

Gethsemane^(A)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee^(B) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^(C) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”^(D)

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup^(E) be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”^(F)

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me^(G) for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(H) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”^(I)

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour^(J) has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested^(K)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas,^(L) one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”^(M) and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”^[a](N)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,^(O) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.^(P)

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(Q) 53} Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?^{(R) 54} But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(S) that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,^(T) and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”^(U) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(V)

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas^(W) the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. ⁵⁸ But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest.^(X) He entered and sat down with the guards^(Y) to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(Z) were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any, though many false witnesses^(AA) came forward.

Finally two^(AB) came forward ⁶¹ and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”^(AC)

⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.^(AD)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath^(AE) by the living God:^(AF) Tell us if you are the Messiah,^(AG) the Son of God.”^(AH)

⁶⁴ “You have said so,”^(AI) Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One^(AJ) and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^[b](AK)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes^(AL) and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,”^(AM) they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.^(AN) Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”^(AO)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(AP)

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed.