Montgomery - Matthew - 26

26:1  Now it happened that after Jesus had finished all these discourses, he said to his disciples,

26:2  "You know that the Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified."

26:3  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the court of the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas,

26:4  and they plotted together to get Jesus into their power by a trick, and to put him to death;

26:5  but said they, "Not during the feast, for fear of causing a riot among the people."

26:6  While Jesus was staying in Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper,

26:7  a woman came up to him who had an alabaster vase of very costly perfume, and poured it over his head, as he reclined at table.

26:8  when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, and exclaimed.

26:9  "Why is this waste? This perfume could have been sold for a good sum, and the money given to the poor."

26:10  But when Jesus understood it he said to them. "Why are you annoying the woman? This is a beautiful deed she has done for me;

26:11  "for the poor you have with you always, but me you will not always have.

26:12  "In pouring this perfume on my body, she was preparing me for my burial.

26:13  "In solemn truth I tell you that wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what she has done shall be told about, as her memorial."

26:14  It was then that one of the Twelve, he who was called Judas Iscariot,

26:15  went to the chief priests and said, "What are you ready to give me for betraying him to you?" So they weighed him thirty pieces of silver;

26:16  and from that time he kept looking for a chance to betray him.

26:17  On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to make preparation for you eat the Passover?"

26:18  "Go into the city," he answered, "to a certain man, and tell him. "‘The Teacher says. "My time is near. I am going to keep the Passover at your house, with my disciples."‘"

26:19  The disciples did as Jesus told them, and made ready the Passover.

26:20  When evening came he reclined at table with the Twelve;

26:21  and as they were eating, he said to them, "In solemn truth I tell you that one of you is going to betray me!"

26:22  In deep distress they began to ask him, each in turn, "It is not I, is it, Master?"

26:23  In reply he said. "One who has dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me.

26:24  "The Son of man is indeed to go as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were good for that man if he had never been born."

26:25  In answer, Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "Is it not?"

26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave to his disciples, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body."

26:27  And when he had taken the cup and given thanks, he gave it to them, saying.

26:28  "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

26:29  "But I say to you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father."

26:30  So after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

26:31  Then Jesus said to them. "This very night even you will all stumble and fall away from me; for it is written, "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

26:32  But after I am raised up I will go before you into Galilee."

26:33  "If they all stumble and fall away from you," answered Peter, "I will never do so!"

26:34  Jesus said to him, "In solemn truth I tell you that on this very night, before cockcrow, you will deny me three times!"

26:35  But Peter said to him, "Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you." And so said all the disciples.

26:36  Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, "Sit down here, while I go and pray yonder."

26:37  And he took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and began to be in anguish and sore distress,

26:38  and he said to them. "My soul is an anguish, even unto death! Stay here, and keep watch with me."

26:39  Then he went forward a short distance, and fell on his face and prayed. "O, my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wit."

26:40  Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter. "So you were none of you strong enough to watch with me even one hour!

26:41  "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

26:42  Then he went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "O, my Father, if this cup cannot pass except I drink it, Thy will be done."

26:43  He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

26:44  So he left them and went away again, and prayed the third time in the same words as before.

26:45  Then he came to the disciples and said. "Sleep on now, and take your rest. Look! the hour is at hand; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of wicked men.

26:46  "Rouse yourselves! Let us go. My betrayer is close at hand!"

26:47  Barely had he spoken these words when Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared, accompanied by a great crowd of men with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

26:48  Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying. "Whoever I kiss is the man; arrest him."

26:49  So he came straight up to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed him eagerly.

26:50  "Friend, do that for which you came," said Jesus. Then they came forward and laid hands on Jesus, and arrested him.

26:51  And, behold, one of these who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and smote the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

26:52  Then Jesus said to him. "Put back your sword into its place! for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

26:53  "Do you not suppose that I am able to appeal to my Father to furnish me at this very moment with twelve legions of angels?

26:54  "But if I did, how could the Scriptures be fulfilled that say that thus it must happen?"

26:55  Then Jesus said to the crowds. "Are you come out as against a robber, with swords and staves to arrest me? Day after day, I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not apprehend me.

26:56  "But all this has happened in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled."

26:57  Then all his disciples forsook him and fled; but those who had apprehended Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.

26:58  Now Peter was following him, afar off, as far as the courtyard of the high priest; and when he got in, he was sitting with the officers, to see the end.

26:59  And the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to get false evidence against Jesus, in order that they might have him executed;

26:60  but they found none, although many false witnesses came forward.

26:61  However, at last two came forward who said, "This fellow declared, ’I can destroy the Temple of God and build it in three days.’"

26:62  Rising to his feet the high priest asked Jesus. "Do you make no answer? What is it that these are testifying against you?"

26:63  But Jesus kept silence. Again the high priest addressed him, "I adjure you by the Living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!"

26:64  "I am He," Jesus answered; "yet I tell you that from this time on you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming upon the clouds of heaven."

26:65  Then the high priest tore his garments, saying. "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? For behold, now you have heard his blasphemy!

26:66  "What is your verdict?" "He ought to die," they answered.

26:67  Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and some struck him with the palms of their hands, and cried.

26:68  "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it who struck you?"

26:69  Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and one of the maidservants came up to him and said, "You also were with Jesus, the Galilean!"

26:70  But he denied it before them all; "I do not know what you mean," he said.

26:71  Soon afterward he went out into the porch, and another maid saw him, and said to those who were there, "This fellow certainly was with Jesus, the Nazarene!"

26:72  And again he denied it with an oath, saying, "I never knew the man."

26:73  A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "You also are certainly one of them, for your speech betrays you."

26:74  Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I never knew the man." Immediately the cock crew!

26:75  Then Peter recalled the word that Jesus had spoken, "Before the cock crow, you shall three times deny me" - and he went out and broke out into bitter weeping.