RKJNT - Matthew - 26

26:1  And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

26:2  You know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified.

26:3  Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled together at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

26:4  And conspired to take Jesus by stealth, and kill him.

26:5  But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

26:6  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

26:7  There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

26:8  But when his disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

26:9  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

26:10  But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? for she has done a good work for me.

26:11  For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have me.

26:12  When she poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

26:13  Truly I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be told in memory of her.

26:14  Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,

26:15  And said to them, What will you give me if I deliver him to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.

26:16  And from that time on he sought an opportunity to betray him.

26:17  Now on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?

26:18  And he said, Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.

26:19  And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they made ready the passover.

26:20  Now when the evening had come, he sat down with the twelve.

26:21  And as they ate, he said, Truly I say to you, that one of you shall betray me.

26:22  And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and every one of them began to say to him, Lord, is it I?

26:23  And he answered and said, He who dipped his hand with me in the dish shall betray me.

26:24  The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it would have been better for that man if he had not been born.

26:25  Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Teacher, is it I? He said to him, You have said it.

26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you;

26:28  For this is my blood of the covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

26:29  But I say to you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.

26:30  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the mount of Olives.

26:31  Then Jesus said to them, This night all of you shall fall away because of me: for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.

26:32  But after I have risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

26:33  Peter answered and said to him, Though all fall away because of you, yet I will never fall away.

26:34  Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, That this night, before the cock crows, you shall deny me thrice.

26:35  Peter said to him, Though I die with you, yet I will not deny you. And all the disciples said the same.

26:36  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, Sit here, while I go and pray over there.

26:37  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very troubled.

26:38  Then he said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death: remain here, and watch with me.

26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.

26:40  And he came to the disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour?

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

26:42  He went away again, a second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done.

26:43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

26:45  Then he came to his disciples, and said to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

26:46  Rise, let us be going: behold, he who betrays me is at hand.

26:47  And while he yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

26:48  Now he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomever I shall kiss, he is the one: hold him fast.

26:49  And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him.

26:50  And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that which you have come for. Then they came, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

26:51  And, behold, one of those with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

26:52  Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back in its place: for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.

26:53  Do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall at once give me more than twelve legions of angels?

26:54  But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that say it must happen this way?

26:55  In that same hour Jesus said to the multitudes, Do you come out to take me with swords and clubs, as if I was a thief ? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you did not lay hold on me.

26:56  But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

26:57  And those who had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

26:58  But Peter followed him from afar to the high priest's courtyard, and went in, and sat with the guards, to see the outcome.

26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

26:60  But found none, though many false witnesses came forth. At last two false witnesses came,

26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

26:62  And the high priest arose, and said to him, Do you have no answer? what is it which these men testify against you?

26:63  But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said to him, I charge you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.

26:64  Jesus said to him, You have said so: nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

26:65  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.

26:66  What do you think? They answered and said, He is worthy of death.

26:67  Then they spit in his face, and beat him; and others struck him with the palms of their hands,

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

26:69  Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard: and a maid came to him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee.

26:70  But he denied it before them all, saying, I know not what your are saying.

26:71  And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and said to those who were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

26:72  And again he denied it with an oath, I do not know the man.

26:73  And after a while the bystanders came to him, and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them; for your speech betrays you.

26:74  Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I do not know the man. And immediately the cock crowed.

26:75  And Peter remembered the word Jesus said to him, Before the cock crows, you shall deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.