¹ The feast of the unleavened bread, known as the Passover, was near.

² The chief priest and the teachers of the law were looking for an opportunity of destroying Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

³ Now Satan took possession of Judas, who was known as Iscariot, and who belonged to the Twelve;

⁴ and he went and discussed with the chief priests and officers in charge at the Temple the best way of betraying Jesus to them.

⁵ They were glad of this, and agreed to pay him.

⁶ So Judas assented, and looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them, in the absence of a crowd.

⁷ When the day of the Festival of the unleavened bread came, on which the Passover lambs had to be killed,

⁸ Jesus sent forward Peter and John, saying to them: “Go and make preparations for our eating the Passover.”

⁹ “Where do you wish us to make preparations?” they asked.

¹⁰ “Listen,”he answered, “when you have got into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into whatever house he enters;

¹¹ and you will say to the owner of the house ‘The teacher says to you — Where is the room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?’

¹² The man will show you a large upstairs room, set out; there make preparations.”

¹³ So Peter and John went on, and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴ When the time came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him.

¹⁵ “I have most earnestly wished,”he said, “to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

¹⁶ For I tell you that I will not eat it again, until it has had its fulfilment in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ Then, on receiving a cup, after saying the thanksgiving, he said:

¹⁸ “Take this and share it among you. For I tell you that I will not, after today, drink of the juice of the grape, until the kingdom of God has come.”

¹⁹ Then Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and gave to them, with the words: “This is my body.

²¹ Yet see! The hand of the man who is betraying me is beside me on the table!

²² True, the Son of Man is passing, by the way ordained for him, yet alas for that man by whom he is being betrayed!”

²³ Then they began questioning one another which of them it could be who was going to do this.

²⁴ And a dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

²⁵ Jesus, however, said: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their oppressors are styled ‘Benefactors.’

²⁶ But with you it must not be so. No, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who leads like him who serves.

²⁷ Which is the greater — the master at the table or his servant? Is not it the master at the table? Yet I myself am among you as one who serves.

²⁸ You are the men who have stood by me in my trials;

²⁹ and, just as my Father has assigned me a kingdom, I assign you places,

³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and be seated on twelve thrones as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹ Simon! Simon! listen. Satan demanded leave to sift you all like wheat,

³² but I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. And you, when you have returned to me, are to strengthen the others.”

³³ “Master,” said Peter, “with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death.”

³⁴ “I tell you, Peter,”replied Jesus, “the cock will not crow today until you have disowned all knowledge of me three times.”

³⁵ Then he said to them all: “When I sent you out as my messengers, without either purse, or bag, or sandals, were you in need of anything?” “No; nothing,” they answered.

³⁶ “Now, however,”he said, “he who has a purse must take it and his bag as well; and he who has not must sell his cloak and buy a sword.

³⁷ For, I tell you, that passage of scripture must be fulfilled in me, which says — ‘He was counted among the godless’; indeed all that refers to me is finding its fulfilment.”

³⁸ “Master,” they exclaimed, “look, here are two swords!” “Enough!”said Jesus.

³⁹ Jesus then went out, and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, followed by his disciples.

⁴⁰ And, when he reached the spot, he said to them: “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.”

⁴¹ Then he withdrew about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and began to pray.

⁴² “Father,”he said, “if it is your pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but your be done.”

⁴³ Presently there appeared to him an angel from heaven, who strengthened him.

⁴⁴ And, as his anguish became intense, he prayed still more earnestly, while his sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground.

⁴⁵ Then he rose from praying, and came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow.

⁴⁶ “Why are you asleep?”he asked them. “Rise and pray so that you don't fall into temptation.”

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, a crowd appeared in sight, led by the man called Judas, who was one of the Twelve. Judas approached Jesus, to kiss him;

⁴⁸ on which Jesus said to him: “Judas, is it by a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?”

⁴⁹ But when those who were round Jesus saw what was going to happen, they exclaimed: “Master, should we use our swords?”

⁵⁰ And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear;

⁵¹ on which Jesus said: “Let me at least do this”; and, touching his ear, he healed the wound.

⁵² Then, turning to the chief priests and officers in charge at the Temple and councillors, who had come for him, he said: “Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs?

⁵³ When I was with you day after day in the Temple Courts, you did not lay hands on me; but now your time has come, and the power of darkness.”

⁵⁴ Those who had taken Jesus prisoner took him away into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.

⁵⁵ But, when they had lit a fire in the centre of the courtyard and had all sat down there, Peter seated himself in the middle of them.

⁵⁶ Presently a maidservant saw him sitting near the blaze of the fire. She looked carefully at him and said: “Why, this man was one of his companions!”

⁵⁷ But Peter denied it. “I do not know him,” he replied.

⁵⁸ A little while afterwards some one else — a man — saw him and said: “Why, you are one of them!” “No,” Peter said, “I am not.”

⁵⁹ About an hour later another man declared positively: “This man also was certainly with him. Why, he is a Galilean!”

⁶⁰ But Peter said: “I do not know what you are speaking about.” Instantly, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed.

⁶¹ And the Master turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the words that the Master had said to him — “Before a cock has crowed today, you will disown me three times”;

⁶² and he went outside and wept bitterly.

⁶³ The men who held Jesus kept making sport of him and beating him.

⁶⁴ They blindfolded him and then questioned him. “Now play the prophet,” they said; “who was it that struck you?”