The first part of the history of the passion of Christ.

¹ Now the feast of Passover and of Unleavened Bread was two days away. And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, were seeking a means by which they might deceitfully seize him and kill him.¹

1. 14:1Azymes: That is, the feast of the unleavened bread.(Challoner)

² But they said, “Not on the feast day, lest perhaps there may be a tumult among the people.”

³ And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining to eat, a woman arrived having an alabaster container of ointment, of precious spikenard. And breaking open the alabaster container, she poured it over his head.

⁴ But there were some who became indignant within themselves and who were saying: “What is the reason for this waste of the ointment?

⁵ For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and been given to the poor.” And they murmured against her.

⁶ But Jesus said: “Permit her. What is the reason that you trouble her? She has done a good deed for me.

⁷ For the poor, you have with you always. And whenever you wish, you are able to do good to them. But you do not have me always.

⁸ But she has done what she could. She has arrived in advance to anoint my body for burial.

⁹ Amen I say to you, wherever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the entire world, the things she has done also shall be told, in memory of her.”

¹⁰ And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away, to the leaders of the priests, in order to betray him to them.

¹¹ And they, upon hearing it, were gladdened. And they promised him that they would give him money. And he sought an opportune means by which he might betray him.

¹² And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they immolate the Passover, the disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ And he sent two of his disciples, and he said to them: “Go into the city. And you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

¹⁴ And wherever he will have entered, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: Where is my dining room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’

¹⁵ And he will show you a large cenacle, fully furnished. And there, you shall prepare it for us.”

¹⁶ And his disciples departed and went into the city. And they found it just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷ Then, when evening came, he arrived with the twelve.

¹⁸ And while reclining and eating with them at table, Jesus said, “Amen I say to you, that one of you, who eats with me, will betray me.”

¹⁹ But they began to be sorrowful and to say to him, one at a time: “Is it I?”

²⁰ And he said to them: “It is one of the twelve, who dips his hand with me in the dish.

²¹ And indeed, the Son of man goes, just as it has been written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man will be betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”¹

1. 14:21The order of the use of ‘him’ and ‘that man’ is reversed in the translation, so that it does not sound as if the pronoun ‘him’ refers to Christ.(Conte)

²² And while eating with them, Jesus took bread. And blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and he said: “Take. This is my body.”

²³ And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank from it.

²⁴ And he said to them: “This is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many.

²⁵ Amen I say to you, that I will no longer drink from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ And having sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

²⁷ And Jesus said to them: “You will all fall away from me in this night. For it has been written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

²⁸ But after I have risen again, I will go before you to Galilee.”

²⁹ Then Peter said to him, “Even if all will have fallen away from you, yet I will not.”

³⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Amen I say to you, that this day, in this night, before the rooster has uttered its voice twice, you will deny me three times.”¹

1. 14:30Crow twice: The cocks crow at two different times of the night; viz., about midnight for the first time; and then about the time commonly called the cock crowing; and this was the cock crowing our Saviour spoke of; and therefore the other Evangelists take no notice of the first crowing.(Challoner)

³¹ But he spoke further, “Even if I must die along with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly also.

³² And they went to a country estate, by the name of Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.”

³³ And he took Peter, and James, and John with him. And he began to be afraid and wearied.

³⁴ And he said to them: “My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Remain here and be vigilant.”

³⁵ And when he had proceeded on a little ways, he fell prostrate on the ground. And he prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

³⁶ And he said: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this chalice from me. But let it be, not as I will, but as you will.”

³⁷ And he went and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to be vigilant for one hour?

³⁸ Watch and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

³⁹ And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words.

⁴⁰ And upon returning, he found them sleeping yet again, (for their eyes were heavy) and they did not know how to respond to him.

⁴¹ And he arrived for the third time, and he said to them: “Sleep now, and take rest. It is enough. The hour has arrived. Behold, the Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

⁴² Rise up, let us go. Behold, he who will betray me is near.”

⁴³ And while he was still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, and the elders.

⁴⁴ Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: “He whom I shall kiss, it is he. Take hold of him, and lead him away cautiously.”

⁴⁵ And when he had arrived, immediately drawing near to him, he said: “Hail, Master!” And he kissed him.

⁴⁶ But they laid hands on him and held him.

⁴⁷ Then a certain one of those standing near, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ And in response, Jesus said to them: “Have you set out to apprehend me, just as if to a robber, with swords and clubs?

⁴⁹ Daily, I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take hold of me. But in this way, the scriptures are fulfilled.”

⁵⁰ Then his disciples, leaving him behind, all fled away.

⁵¹ Now a certain young man followed him, having nothing but a fine linen cloth over himself. And they took hold of him.¹

1. 14:51The fine linen cloth represents the baptismal garment (the state of grace). Some are willing to give up this garment in order to escape persecution for the sake of Christ. But then they flee away naked, lacking grace in their souls.(Conte)

⁵² But he, rejecting the fine linen cloth, escaped from them naked.

⁵³ And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the priests and the scribes and the elders came together.

⁵⁴ But Peter followed him from a distance, even into the court of the high priest. And he sat with the servants at the fire and warmed himself.

⁵⁵ Yet truly, the leaders of the priests and the entire council sought testimony against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death, and they found none.

⁵⁶ For many spoke false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.

⁵⁷ And certain ones, rising up, bore false witness against him, saying:

⁵⁸ “For we heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple, made with hands, and within three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ”

⁵⁹ And their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰ And the high priest, rising up in their midst, questioned Jesus, saying, “Do you have nothing to say in answer to the things that are brought against you by these ones?”