Matthew 26:17-30

International Children’s Bible

Jesus Eats the Passover Feast

¹⁷ On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. They said, “We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover Feast. Where do you want to have the feast?”

¹⁸ Jesus answered, “Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him that the Teacher says, ‘The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover Feast with my followers at your house.’” ¹⁹ The followers did what Jesus told them to do, and they prepared the Passover Feast.

²⁰ In the evening Jesus was sitting at the table with his 12 followers. ²¹ They were all eating. Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. One of you 12 will turn against me.”

²² This made the followers very sad. Each one said to Jesus, “Surely, Lord, I am not the one who will turn against you. Am I?”

²³ Jesus answered, “The man who has dipped his hand with me into the bowl is the one who will turn against me. ²⁴ The Son of Man will die. The Scriptures say this will happen. But how terrible it will be for the person who gives the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”

²⁵ Then Judas said to Jesus, “Teacher, surely I am not the one. Am I?” (Judas is the one who would give Jesus to his enemies.)

Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”

The Lord’s Supper

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take this bread and eat it. This bread is my body.”

²⁷ Then Jesus took a cup. He thanked God for it and gave it to the followers. He said, “Every one of you drink this. ²⁸ This is my blood which begins the new^[a] agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many to forgive their sins. ²⁹ I tell you this: I will not drink of this fruit of the vine^[b] again until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰ They sang a hymn. Then they went out to the Mount of Olives.