Matthew 26 (NMV)
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He told His disciples,
2 "You know that the Passover is in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas,
4 and they conspired together to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him.
5 "But not during the festival," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."
6 While Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman approached Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and said, "Why this waste?
9 This perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor."
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me.
11 You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me.
12 By pouring this perfume on My body, she has prepared Me for burial.
13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."
14 Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?" So they counted out thirty silver coins for him.
16 And from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray Him.
17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to make preparations for You to eat the Passover?"
18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover at your house with My disciples.'"
19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, He was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
21 And while they were eating, He said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me."
22 Deeply distressed, each one began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?"
23 He replied, "The one who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl, he will betray Me.
24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born."
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray Him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "You have said it."
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take and eat; this is My body."
27 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
29 But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, "Tonight all of you will fall away because of Me, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."
33 Peter told Him, "Even if everyone falls away because of You, I will never fall away."
34 "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to him, "Tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
35 "Even if I have to die with You," Peter told Him, "I will never deny You." And all the disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
37 He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to feel deeply distressed and troubled.
38 Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me."
39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not what I want, but what You want."
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, "So, couldn't you stay awake with Me for one hour?
41 Stay alert and pray, so that you won't fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done."
43 And He came again and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.
44 After leaving them again, He went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Get up; let's go. See, My betrayer is near."
47 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had given them a signal: "The One I kiss, He's the One. Arrest Him."
49 He went straight to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
50 "Friend," Jesus asked him, "why have you come?" Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him.
51 Suddenly one of those with Jesus reached for his sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 Then Jesus told him, "Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once send more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?"
55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal to capture Me? Every day I sat teaching in the temple, and you didn't arrest Me.
56 But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted Him and ran away.
57 Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
58 Peter was following Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He went in and sat with the guards to see how it would end.
59 The chief priests and the entire council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death,
60 but they couldn't find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two came forward
61 and stated, "This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Aren't You going to answer? What are these men testifying against You?"
63 But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to Him, "I place You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!"
64 Jesus answered, "You have said it. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Look, now you've heard the blasphemy.
66 What is your verdict?" They answered, "He deserves death!"
67 Then they spat in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him
68 and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?"
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl approached him and said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean too."
70 But he denied it in front of everyone: "I don't know what you're talking about."
71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and told those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth!"
72 Again he denied it with an oath: "I don't know the man!"
73 After a little while, those standing there approached and said to Peter, "You really are one of them, your accent gives you away."
74 Then he began to curse and to swear with an oath, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.