Matthew 26

English Standard Version

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ^2 (A)“You know that after two days ^(B)the Passover is coming, and ^(C)the Son of Man ^(D)will be delivered up to be crucified.”

^3 (E)Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in ^(F)the palace of the high priest, whose name was ^(G)Caiaphas, ^4 (H)and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, ^(I)lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

^6 (J)Now when Jesus was at ^(K)Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,^{[a] 7} a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and ^(L)given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But ^(M)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For ^(N)you always have the poor with you, but ^(O)you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it ^(P)to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever ^(Q)this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told ^(R)in memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

^14 (S)Then one of the twelve, whose name was ^(T)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they ^(U)paid him ^(V)thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity ^(W)to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

^17 (X)Now on ^(Y)the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ^(Z)‘The Teacher says, ^(AA)My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

^20 (AB)When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.^{[b] 21} And as they were eating, ^(AC)he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” ²² And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” ²³ He answered, ^(AD)“He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man goes ^(AE)as it is written of him, but ^(AF)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(AG)It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” ²⁵ Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, ^(AH)Rabbi?” He said to him, ^(AI)“You have said so.”

Institution of the Lord's Supper

^26 (AJ)Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and ^(AK)after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; ^(AL)this is my body.” ²⁷ And he took a cup, and when he ^(AM)had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, ²⁸ for ^(AN)this is my ^(AO)blood of the^[c] covenant, which is poured out for ^(AP)many ^(AQ)for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you ^(AR)in my Father's kingdom.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

^30 (AS)And when they had sung a hymn, ^(AT)they went out to ^(AU)the Mount of Olives. ³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will ^(AV)strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ³² But after I am raised up, ^(AW)I will go before you to Galilee.” ^33 (AX)Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” ^34 (AY)Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, ^(AZ)before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” ^35 (BA)Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

^36 (BB)Then Jesus went with them ^(BC)to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ And taking with him ^(BD)Peter and ^(BE)the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, ^(BF)“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and ^(BG)watch^[d] with me.” ³⁹ And going a little farther he fell on his face ^(BH)and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let ^(BI)this cup pass from me; ^(BJ)nevertheless, 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, could you not watch with me one hour? ^41 (BK)Watch and ^(BL)pray that you ^(BM)may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ⁴² Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, ^(BN)your will be done.” ⁴³ And again he came and found them sleeping, for ^(BO)their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for ^(BP)the third time, saying the same words again. ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.^[e] See, ^(BQ)the hour is at hand, and ^(BR)the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

^47 (BS)While he was still speaking, ^(BT)Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” ⁴⁹ And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, ^(BU)Rabbi!” And he kissed him. ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, ^(BV)“Friend, ^(BW)do what you came to do.”^[f] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. ⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his ^(BX)sword and struck the servant^[g] of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For ^(BY)all who take the sword will perish by the sword. ^53 (BZ)Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me ^(CA)more than twelve ^(CB)legions of angels? ^54 (CC)But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” ⁵⁵ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day ^(CD)I sat in the temple ^(CE)teaching, and you did not seize me. ⁵⁶ But ^(CF)all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” ^(CG)Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council

^57 (CH)Then ^(CI)those who had seized Jesus led him to ^(CJ)Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ And ^(CK)Peter was following him at a distance, as far as ^(CL)the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with ^(CM)the guards to see the end. ⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole council^{[h] (CN)}were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, ⁶⁰ but they found none, ^(CO)though many false witnesses came forward. At last ^(CP)two came forward ⁶¹ and said, “This man said, ^(CQ)‘I am able to ^(CR)destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” ⁶² And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”^{[i] 63 (CS)}But Jesus remained silent. ^(CT)And the high priest said to him, ^(CU)“I adjure you by ^(CV)the living God, ^(CW)tell us if you are ^(CX)the Christ, ^(CY)the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, ^(CZ)“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on ^(DA)you will see the Son of Man ^(DB)seated at the right hand of Power and ^(DC)coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest ^(DD)tore his robes and said, ^(DE)“He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What is your judgment?” They answered, ^(DF)“He deserves death.” ⁶⁷ Then ^(DG)they spit in his face ^(DH)and ^(DI)struck him. And some slapped him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, you ^(DJ)Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

^69 (DK)Now Peter was sitting outside ^(DL)in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” ⁷¹ And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus ^(DM)of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for ^(DN)your accent betrays you.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ^(DO)“Before the rooster crows, you will ^(DP)deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.