Javascript Menu by Deluxe-Menu.com

Matthew 26

The Plot Against Jesus

1 And it came to pass when Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples: 2 You know that with two days the Passover comes to pass, and the son of man is given over to be crucified. 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered in the courtyard of the chief priest being called Caiaphas. 4 And they plotted in order that by stealth they may lay hold of and kill Jesus. 5 But they were saying: Not on the festival day lest there be [a] riot among the people.

Jesus's Anointing

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper 7 [a] woman having [an] alabaster flask of expensive ointment came to him and poured [it] out on his head while he was at table. 8 But when the disciples saw they were indignant saying: Why this waste? 9 For this could bring in much and be given to [the] poor. 10 But when Jesus understood, he said to them: Why do you cause trouble for the woman? For she worked [a] good work to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but me will you not always have. 12 For her having poured this ointment on my body prepared me for burial. 13 Truly I say to you: wherever this gospel be preached, in the whole world, it will also be told what she did in remembrance of her.

The Plan to Betray Jesus

14 Then when [one] of the twelve went forth, the [one] being called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, 15 he said: What will you give me, and I deliver him up to you? And they placed before him thirty silver pieces. 16 And from then [on] he sought opportunity to deliver him up.

The Passover

17 Now on the first [day] of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying: How do you wish we prepare for you to be eating the Passover? 18 But he said: Be going into the city to [a] certain man and say to him: The teacher says: My time1 is at hand, With you would I do the Passover with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and prepared the Passover.

20 Now when it became late he was at table with the twelve. 21 And while they ate he said: Truly I say to you that one of you will deliver me up. 22 And being greatly troubled they began to be saying to him each one: Is it I, Lord?2 23 But answering he said: The [one] who dipped with me his hand in the dish, this [one] will deliver me up. 24 On the one hand the son of man departs just as it is written concerning him, but on the other, Woe to that man through whom the son of man is delivered up. It would have been good to him if that man had never been born. 25 But Judas the [one] delivering him up answering said: Is it I, Rabbi?2

The Last Supper

26 He says to him: You said [it]. Now while they were eating, Jesus having taken bread and having given thanks [he] broke [it] and having given it to his disciples said: Take, be eating. This is my body. 27 And having taken the cup and having given thanks he gave [it] to them saying: Drink all of it. 28 For this is my blood of the new3 contract, being poured out for many for [the] forgiveness of sins. 29 For I say to you, I will not drink from now on of this the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my father. 30 And when they sang [a] hymn they went out to the mount of olives.

The Prediction of Peter's Denial

31 Then Jesus says to them: You will all be stumbled in me in this night. For it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. 32 But after I arise I will go before you to Galilee. 33 But answering Peter said to him: If all be stumbled in you, I will never be stumbled. 34 Jesus said to him: Truly I say to you that in this night before the cock crows thrice you will renounce me. 35 But Peter says to him: If I must die with you, I will not renounce you. And all the disciples said likewise.

Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus comes with them to the place being called Gethsemane, and he says to the disciples: Sit here while having departed from here I pray. 37 And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee he began to be pained and anguishing. 38 Then he says to them: My psyche-life4 is deeply pained to death. Remain here and be staying awake with me. 39 And going forth [a] small ways he fell on his face praying and saying: My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will but as you will. 40 And he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter: Do you thus have not the strength to stay awake with me one hour? 41 Be staying awake and praying, that you not enter into temptation, for the spirit is ready5, but the flesh is weak6. 42 Again having gone forth he prayed saying: My father, if it is not possible for this cup to pass away except I drink it, let7 your will come to pass. 43 And when he came he again found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighted down. 44 And having left them again having gone forth he prayed the third time saying again the same words. 45 Then he comes to the disciples and says to them: Be sleeping now on, and be taking rest. Behold the hour is at hand and the son of man is delivered up into the hands of sinners. 46 Be arising, let us be going, Behold the [one] delivering me up is at hand.

Betrayal and Arrest

47 And while he was yet speaking, Behold Judas one of the twelve came, and with him [a] great crowd with swords and clubs from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 And the [one] delivering him up gave them [a] sign saying: Whom I kiss is he, lay hold of him. 49 And straightway coming to Jesus he said: Greetings, Rabbi, and he kissed him. 50 But Jesus said to him: Friend, for whom are you here? Then those having come lay their hands on him and took him. 51 And behold one of those with Jesus stretching forth his hand drew out his sword and having struck the slave of the chief priest he cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus says to him: Put away your sword from this place, for all who take the sword are destroyed8 by the sword. 53 Or do you suppose that I am unable to call upon my father, and he will place at my disposal at once more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then would the scriptures be fulfilled that must thus come to pass? 55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowds: As upon [a] robber have you come out with swords and clubs to seize9 me? Daily with you I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hold of me. 56 but this whole [thing] came to pass in order that the scriptures of the prophets be fulfilled. Then having left him all the disciples fled.

Condemned by the Sanhedrin

57 But the [ones] having laid hold of Jesus brought him before Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered. 58 But Peter followed him far off until the courtyard of the chief priest, and entering he sat with the assistants to see the outcome. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council10 were seeking false testimony against Jesus so they might put him to death, 60 and they found none though many came in bearing false witness. But later two came in 61 who said: This [one] said: I am able to destroy the temple of God and in three days to build [it]. 62 And having arisen the chief priests said to him: Have you nothing to say, what these witness against you? 63 But he was silent. And the chief priest said to him: I adjure you by the zoe-living11 God that you tell us if you are the Christ the son of God. 64 Jesus says to him: You said [it]. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter will you see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming upon the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the chief priest tore his robe saying: He has slandered [God]. What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold now we have heard his [God]-slander. 66 How does it seem to you? And the chief-priests said: He is deserving of death. 67 Then they spit in his face and beat him, and they struck him 68 saying: Prophesy to us, Christ, who is the [one] who struck you? 69 But Peter sat outside in the courtyard, and one of the servant-girls came to him saying: Weren't you also with Jesus of Nazareth?

Peter's Denials

70 But he renounced [him] before all of them saying: I do not know of whom you speak. 71 and having gone out into the entrance another saw him and said to those there: This [one] was with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he renounced [him] with [an] oath that he knew not the man. 73 And after [a] little, after those that stood there entered they said to Peter: Truly you also are among them, for your speech makes you evident. 74 Then he began to be cursing and swearing12 that he knew not the man. And straightway the cock crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the words that Jesus had said that: Before the cock crows thrice you will betray me, and going out he wept bitterly.


1KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'

2Grammar indicates "no" answer expected or expresses uncertainty

3"new" DW vg K most; omit: p37,p45 ℵB

4from PSYCHE (ψυχη): an individual manifestation of life/consciousness. Animals have PSYCHEs as well as humans. Contrast ZOE (ζωη)—Life 'collectively', interdependent, interconnected.

5or "willing," "eager"

6or "sick"

7imperative

8or "die"

9or "arrest"

10"Sanhedrin"

11from ZOE "ZOH-ay" (ζωη)—Life 'collectively', interdependent, interconnected. Although it means 'life' in the conventional sense (for example: Matt.9:18, Matt.27:63, Luke.2:36, Acts.25:24, Rom.7:2, 2Cor.1:8, 1Thes.4:17, 1Tim.5:10, Rev.19:20), Jesus uses ZOE exclusively of 'life eternal' (with the possible exceptions of Luke.15:13, Luke.16:25). The other N.T. writers use ZOE in both senses—temporal and eternal, generally clear from the context. The Father is the 'zoe-living God' (see Matt.16:16). The Septuagint (LXX) in Gen.2:7 has "...[God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of zoe-life, and the man became a zoe-living psyche-life" (and see 1Cor.15:45); and Gen.3:20 (LXX) "And Adam called his wife's name ZOE, because she was the mother of all zoe-living." Contrast PSYCHE (ψυχη): an individual manifestation of life/consciousness. See John.12:25 where both ZOE and PSYCHE occur. Greek also has the word BIOS (βιoς ) for 'life' in the sense of biological processes.

12or "oathing"