Worsley - Matthew - 26

26:1  And when Jesus had finished these discourses, He said to his disciples,

26:2  Ye know that after two days the passover is to be kept,---and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

26:3  Now the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people were then assembled together into the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas:

26:4  and were consulting how they might take Jesus by treachery and put Him to death.

26:5  But they said, Not on the feast-day, least there should be a tumult among the people.

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

26:7  there came to Him a woman with an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as He was at table:

26:8  but when his disciples saw it, they were some of them provoked at it, and said, Wherefore is this waste?

26:9  for this ointment might have been sold for a great deal of money, and given to the poor.

26:10  But Jesus, knowing what passed, said to them, Why do ye give the woman uneasiness? for she has done a good office to me:

26:11  (seeing ye have the poor always with you, but me ye have not always:) for in pouring this ointment on my body,

26:12  she has embalmed me for my burial.

26:13  Verily I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached, in the whole world, what she hath done shall also be spoken of for a memorial of her.

26:14  About this time went one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot,

26:15  to the chief priests, and said, What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him to you? and they promised him thirty pieces of silver:

26:16  and from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

26:17  Now upon the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, came the disciples to Jesus, saying, where wouldest thou have us make preparation for thee to eat the passover?

26:18  And He said, Go into the city, to such a man, and tell him, The master saith, my time is near, I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples: and the disciples did as Jesus ordered them,

26:19  and prepared the passover.

26:20  And when the evening was come, He sat down with the twelve:

26:21  and as they were eating, He said, Verily I tell you, that one of you will betray me.

26:22  And they were exceedingly grieved, and said to Him, every one of them, Lord, is it I?

26:23  and He answered, he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, even he will betray me.

26:24  The Son of man is going indeed as it is written concerning Him: but wo to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed; it had been good for him, if that man had never been born.

26:25  And Judas, who betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it I? and He said unto him, It is.

26:26  Now as they were at table, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake 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 ye all of it:

26:28  for this is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, which is to be shed for many for the remission of sins:

26:29  but I tell you, that from henceforth I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.

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

26:31  Then saith Jesus unto them, Ye will all take offence at me this night; for it is written, "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered:"

26:32  but after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

26:33  But Peter answered and said to Him, though they should all be offended in thee, yet will I never be offended.

26:34  Jesus said unto him, Verily I tell thee that this night, before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.

26:35  Peter replied, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. And so likewise said all the disciples.

26:36  Then went Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to the disciples, Sit here, while I go there and pray:

26:37  and having taken with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and much distressed;

26:38  and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death, stay here and watch with me.

26:39  And going a little farther, He prostrated himself, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

26:40  And coming to the disciples, he findeth them asleep, and saith to Peter, what! could ye not watch with me one hour?

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

26:42  And going away again, the second time He prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, unless I drink it, thy 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, to the same effect.

26:45  Then He cometh to his disciples and saith, Are ye sleeping still and taking your rest? behold, the hour is come, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

26:46  Rise, let us go, see the traitor is at hand.

26:47  And while He was yet speaking, behold, Judas one of the twelve came, and with him a great number, with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people:

26:48  (now he that betrayed Him, had given them a signal, saying, The man whom I shall kiss is He, lay hold of Him:)

26:49  and going directly up to Jesus, he said, Hail master, and kissed Him.

26:50  And Jesus said to him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? then they came up and laid hands on Jesus, and apprehended Him.

26:51  And one of them that were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and striking at the high priest's servant took off his ear.

26:52  Then said Jesus to him, Put up thy sword into it's place; for they that take the sword shall perish by the sword:

26:53  dost thou think that I cannot now apply to my Father, and He will send me more than twelve legions of angels?

26:54  but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that thus it must be?

26:55  Then said Jesus to the multitudes, Ye are come out as against a thief with swords and clubs to take me, whereas I sat with you day after day teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me: but all this is done,

26:56  that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.

26:57  Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled. And they, that apprehended Jesus, led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled:

26:58  and Peter followed Him at a distance, to the high-priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, that he might see the issue.

26:59  Now the chief priests and elders, and the whole council sought false-witness against Jesus, that they might put Him to death: but found none.

26:60  And tho' many false witnesses came, they found none to their purpose. But at last came two false witnesses and said,

26:61  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 stood up and said to Him, Dost thou make no answer? what do these men testify against thee? but Jesus made no reply.

26:63  Then the high priest said to Him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us, if thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

26:64  Jesus saith unto him, It is as thou hast said: and I tell you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

26:65  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy, what need have we more of witnesses? now ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye?

26:66  and they answered, He ought to be put to death.

26:67  Then did they spit in his face, and beat Him about the head; and some struck Him with rods,

26:68  saying, Divine to us, thou Christ, who it is that smote thee.

26:69  Now Peter was sitting without in the hall, and one of the maids came to him and said, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee:

26:70  but he denied it before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

26:71  And he went out into the porch; after which another maid saw him, and said to them that were there, This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth:

26:72  and he denied a second time, and that with an oath, saying, I know not the man. And a little after, they that stood by came to Peter and said,

26:73  Verily thou also art one of them, for thy speech discovers thee:

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

26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said to him, before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.