¹ NOW the passover and the feast of unleavened bread were but two days distant; and the chief priests, and the scribes, sought how they might seize him by craft, and kill him.

² But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be a commotion among the people.

³ And when he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came, having an alabaster vase of ointment, of genuine spikenard, of vast value: and breaking the vase, she let it flow down upon his head.

⁴ And there were some who felt indignation within themselves, saying, Wherefore is this waste of the ointment made?

⁵ For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor. And they bitterly murmured against her.

⁶ Then said Jesus, Let her alone; why give ye her uneasiness? she hath performed a laudable act towards me.

⁷ For the poor ye have always with you, and when ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

⁸ What was in her power she hath done; she has seized the opportunity to anoint my body beforehand for burial.

⁹ Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached through the whole world, there shall, what she hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, that he might betray him unto them.

¹¹ When they heard it, they rejoiced, and promised to give him a sum in silver. And he watched how opportunely he might deliver him up.

¹² And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare for thee to eat the passover?

¹³ And he sent two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water, follow him.

¹⁴ And where he enters, say to the master of the family. That the teacher saith, Where is the dining-room, where I may eat the passover with my disciples?

¹⁵ And he will shew you a large upper room ready furnished: there make preparation for us.

¹⁶ And his disciples went out, and came into the city, and found as he had spoken to them; and they made ready the passover.

¹⁷ And when it was evening he came with the twelve.

¹⁸ And as they sat at table, and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I tell you, That one of you, who is eating with me, shall betray me.

¹⁹ And they began to be very sorry, and to say to him, one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

²⁰ But he answering said to them, It is one of the twelve, who is dipping his hand with me into the dish.

²¹ The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him; but wo to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been desirable for that man if he had never been born.

²² And as they were eating, Jesus taking a loaf, when he had blessed, brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

²³ And taking the cup, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them; and they all drank out of it.

²⁴ And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

²⁵ Verily I say unto you, That I will henceforth no more drink of the produce of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.

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

²⁷ And Jesus saith to them, All ye will be offended at me this night; for it is written, “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed:”

²⁸ but after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

²⁹ Then said Peter unto him, Though all should be offended, yet will not I.

³⁰ And Jesus saith to him, Verily I tell thee, That to-day, in the course of this very night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me.

³¹ But he said with more vehement assertion, Though I should die with thee, yet would I in no wise deny thee. And they all spake also in the same manner.

³² And they come to a place called Gethsemane, and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here whilst I shall pray.

³³ And he taketh Peter, and James, and John, with him; and he began to be filled with horrible dread, and to be sunk under dejection of spirit:

³⁴ and he saith to them, My soul is deeply afflicted even to death: abide here, and watch.

³⁵ And he went a little farther forward, and fell on the earth, and prayed, that if it were possible the hour might pass from him.

³⁶ And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee; remove this cup from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

³⁷ And he came and found them asleep: and saith unto Peter, Sleepest thou? hast thou not strength to watch with me a single hour?

³⁸ Watch ye and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

³⁹ And again he went away, and prayed, speaking the same sentence.

⁴⁰ And when he returned, he found them again sleeping; for their eyes were weighed down: and they knew not what to answer him.

⁴¹ Then the third time he cometh, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and repose: it is enough, the hour is come; lo! the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners;

⁴² arise, let us go; behold, the traitor approaches me.

⁴³ And immediately, while he was yet speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up, and a great multitude with him, with swords and staves, from the chief priests, and scribes, and elders.

⁴⁴ Now he that betrayed him, had given them a countersign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, seize him, and lead him off safely.

⁴⁵ And coming, he immediately drew up to him and said, Rabbi, Rabbi, and kissed him.

⁴⁶ Then they laid their hands on him, and seized him.

⁴⁷ And one particular person of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸ And Jesus addressing them said, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and staves, to apprehend me?

⁴⁹ Daily was I with you in the temple teaching, and ye laid no hold upon me: but this is done that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

⁵⁰ Then they all deserting him, fled.

⁵¹ And a certain youth followed him, having a linen cloth wrapped round his naked body; and the young men laid hold of him;

⁵² and leaving the linen cloth behind, he fled naked from them.

⁵³ And they led Jesus unto the high-priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes.

⁵⁴ And Peter followed him at a distance, until he came into the palace of the high-priest: and was seated with the servants, and warming himself at the fire.

⁵⁵ Then the chief priests, and the whole sanhedrim, sought for witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; yet found none.

⁵⁶ For many bore false witness against him, and their attestations did not correspond.

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

⁵⁸ We have heard him affirm, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and after three days I will build another not made with hands.

⁵⁹ But even then their testimony was not correspondent.

⁶⁰ So the high-priest rising up in the midst interrogated Jesus, Answerest thou nothing? What is it that these witness against thee?