Judgment Against Wicked Kings

22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king^(A) of Judah and proclaim this message there: ² ‘Hear^(B) the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne^(C)—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.^{(D) 3} This is what the Lord says: Do what is just^(E) and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor^(F) the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow,^(G) and do not shed innocent blood^(H) in this place. ⁴ For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings^(I) who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. ⁵ But if you do not obey^(J) these commands, declares the Lord, I swear^(K) by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’”

⁶ For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:

⁸ “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’^{(R) 9} And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.^(S)’”

¹¹ For this is what the Lord says about Shallum^[a](W) son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: “He will never return. ¹² He will die^(X) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again.”

¹⁸ Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

²⁴ “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin^[c](BB) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring^(BC) on my right hand, I would still pull you off. ²⁵ I will deliver^(BD) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.^{[d] 26} I will hurl^(BE) you and the mother^(BF) who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die. ²⁷ You will never come back to the land you long to return^(BG) to.”

The Plot Against Jesus^(A)

26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things,^(B) he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover^(C) is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled^(D) in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,^{(E) 4} and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(F) 5} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot^(G) among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(H)(I)

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany^(J) in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you,^[a](K) but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.^{(L) 13} Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus^(M)

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot^(N)—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.^{(O) 16} From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper^(P)(Q)(R)

¹⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(S) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”^(T)

¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time^(U) is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”^(V)

²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.^{(W) 24} The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.^(X) But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him,^(Y) said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”^(Z)

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it^(AA) and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷ Then he took a cup,^(AB) and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the^[b] covenant,^(AC) which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.^{(AD) 29} I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you^(AE) in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^(AF)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(AG)

³¹ Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me,^(AH) for it is written:

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^(AJ)

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^(AK)

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you,^(AL) I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane^(AM)

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^(AN) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^(AO) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”^(AP)

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

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me^(AS) for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(AT) 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.”^(AU)

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^(AV) 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^(AW)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas,^(AX) 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!”^(AY) and kissed him.

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

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

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(BC) 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?^{(BD) 54} But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(BE) 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,^(BF) and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”^(BG) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(BH)

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas^(BI) 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.^(BJ) He entered and sat down with the guards^(BK) to see the outcome.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(BL) 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^(BM) came forward.

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

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.^(BP)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath^(BQ) by the living God:^(BR) Tell us if you are the Messiah,^(BS) the Son of God.”^(BT)

⁶⁴ “You have said so,”^(BU) 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^(BV) and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^[e](BW)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes^(BX) 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,”^(BY) they answered.

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

Peter Disowns Jesus^(CB)

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. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^(CC) And he went outside and wept bitterly.