The Leaders Plot against Jesus

261 And when Jesus had come to the end of all these words, he said to his disciples, 2 After two days is the Passover, and the Son of man will be given up to the death of the cross. 3 Then the chief priests and the rulers of the people came together in the house of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 4 And they made designs together to take Jesus by some trick, and put him to death. 5 But they said, Not while the feast is going on, for fear of trouble among the people.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came to him a woman having a bottle of perfume of great price, and she put the perfume on his head when he was seated at table. 8 But when the disciples saw it they were angry, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For we might have got much money for this and given it to the poor. 10 But Jesus, seeing it, said to them, Why are you troubling the woman? she has done a kind act to me. 11 For the poor you have ever with you, but me you have not for ever. 12 For in putting this perfume on my body, she did it to make me ready for my last resting-place. 13 Truly I say to you, Wherever this good news goes out in all the world, what this woman has done will be talked of in memory of her.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the twelve, who was named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 15 What will you give me, if I give him up to you? And the price was fixed at thirty bits of silver. 16 And from that time he was watching for a chance to give him into their hands.

Jesus Eats the Passover with His Disciples

17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where are we to make ready for you to take the Passover meal? 18 And he said to them, Go into the town to such a man, and say to him, The Master says, My time is near: I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had said to them; and they made ready the Passover. 20 Now when evening was come, he was seated at table with the twelve disciples; 21 And while they were taking food, he said, Truly I say to you that one of you will be false to me. 22 And they were very said, and said to him, one by one, Is it I, Lord? 23 And he made answer and said, He who puts his hand into the plate with me, the same will be false to me. 24 The Son of man goes, even as the Writings say of him: but a curse is on that man through whom the Son of man is given up; it would have been well for that man if he had never come into the world. 25 And Judas, who was false to him, made answer and said, Is it I, Master? He says to him, Yes.

26 And when they were taking food, Jesus took bread and, after blessing it, he gave the broken bread to the disciples and said, Take it; this is my body. 27 And he took a cup and, having given praise, he gave it to them, saying, 28 Take of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the testament, which is given for men for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you that from now I will not take of this fruit of the vine, till that day when I take it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Peter's Denial Foretold

30 And after a song of praise to God, they went out to the Mountain of Olives.

31 Then said Jesus to them, All of you will be turned away from me this night: for it is said in the Writings, I will put to death the keeper of the sheep, and the sheep of the flock will be put to flight. 32 But after I am come back from the dead, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 But Peter made answer and said to him, Though all may be turned away from you, I will never be turned away. 34 Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you that this night, before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. 35 Peter says to him, Even if I am put to death with you, I will not be false to you. So said all the disciples.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 Then comes Jesus with them to a place named Gethsemane, and says to his disciples, Be seated here, while I go over there for prayer. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became sad and very troubled. 38 Then says he to them, My soul is very sad, even to death: keep watch with me here. 39 And he went forward a little, and falling down on his face in prayer, he said, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup go from me; but let not my pleasure, but yours be done. 40 And he comes to the disciples, and sees that they are sleeping, and says to Peter, What, were you not able to keep watch with me one hour? 41 Keep watch with prayer, so that you may not be put to the test: the spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is feeble. 42 Again, a second time he went away, and said in prayer, O my Father, if this may not go from me without my taking it, let your pleasure be done. 43 And he came again and saw them sleeping, for their eyes were tired. 44 And he went away from them again, and a third time said the same prayer. 45 Then he comes to the disciples; and says to them, Go on sleeping now, and take your rest: for the hour is come, and the Son of man is given into the hands of evil men. 46 Up, let us be going: see, he who gives me up is near.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

47 And while he was still talking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a band armed with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and those in authority over the people. 48 Now the false one had given them a sign saying, The one to whom I give a kiss, that is he: take him. 49 And straight away he came to Jesus and said, Master! and gave him a kiss. 50 And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that for which you have come. Then they came and put hands on Jesus, and took him. 51 And one of those who were with Jesus put out his hand, and took out his sword and gave the servant of the high priest a blow, cutting off his ear. 52 Then says Jesus to him, Put up your sword again into its place: for all those who take the sword will come to death by the sword. 53 Does it not seem possible to you that if I make request to my Father he will even now send me an army of angels? 54 But how then would the Writings come true, which say that so it has to be? 55 In that hour Jesus said to the people, Have you come out as against a thief with swords and sticks to take me? I was teaching every day in the Temple and you took me not. 56 But all this has taken place so that the writings of the prophets might come true. Then all his disciples went from him in flight.

Jesus before the Council

57 And those who had made Jesus prisoner took him away to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and those in authority over the people had come together. 58 But Peter went after him at a distance, to the house of the high priest, and went in and took his seat with the servants, to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death; 60 And they were not able to get it, though a number of false witnesses came. 61 But later there came two who said, This man said, I am able to give the Temple of God to destruction, and to put it up again in three days. 62 And the high priest got up and said to him, Have you no answer? what is it which these say against you? 63 But Jesus said not a word. And the high priest said to him, I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will say to us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus says to him, You say so: but I say to you, From now you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest, violently parting his robes, said, He has said evil against God: what more need have we of witnesses? for now his words against God have come to your ears: 66 What is your opinion? They made answer and said, It is right for him to be put to death. 67 Then they put shame on him, and were cruel to him: and some gave him blows, saying, 68 Be a prophet, O Christ, and say who gave you a blow!

Peter Denies Jesus

69 Now Peter was seated in the open square outside the house: and a servant-girl came to him, saying, You were with Jesus the Galilaean. 70 But he said before them all that it was false, saying, I have no knowledge of what you say. 71 And when he had gone out into the doorway, another saw him and says to those who were there, This man was with Jesus the Nazarene. 72 And again he said with an oath, I have no knowledge of the man. 73 And after a little time those who were near came and said to Peter, Truly you are one of them; because your talk is witness against you. 74 Then with curses and oaths he said, I have no knowledge of the man. And straight away there came the cry of a cock. 75 And the word of Jesus came back to Peter, when he said, Before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. And he went out, weeping bitterly.

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the waste land of Judaea, 2 Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near. 3 For this is he of whom Isaiah the prophet said, The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight. 4 Now John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judaea went out to him, and all the people from near Jordan; 6 And they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying openly that they had done wrong.

7 But when he saw a number of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come? 8 Let your change of heart be seen in your works: 9 And say not to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; because I say to you that God is able from these stones to make children for Abraham. 10 And even now the axe is put to the root of the trees; every tree then which does not give good fruit is cut down, and put into the fire. 11 Truly, I give baptism with water to those of you whose hearts are changed; but he who comes after me is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to take up: he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire: 12 In whose hand is the instrument with which he will make clean his grain; he will put the good grain in his store, but the waste will be burned up in the fire which will never be put out.

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be given baptism by him. 14 But John would have kept him back, saying, It is I who have need of baptism from you, and do you come to me? 15 But Jesus made answer, saying to him, Let it be so now: because so it is right for us to make righteousness complete. Then he gave him baptism. 16 And Jesus, having been given baptism, straight away went up from the water; and, the heavens opening, he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him as a dove; 17 And a voice came out of heaven, saying, This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.