|
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
1 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the
Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the
teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of
Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan
entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And
Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the
temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray
Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6
He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus
over to them when no crowd was present.
The Last Supper
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the
Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and
John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the
Passover.”
9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they
asked.
10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying
a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that
he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The
Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the
Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large
room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told
them. So they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined
at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly
desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16
For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said,
“Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will
not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom
of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and
gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do
this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is
poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to
betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will
go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays
him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of
them it might be who would do this.
24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them
was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The
kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who
exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among
you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like
the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at
the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at
the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are
those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on
you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit
on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you
as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your
faith may not fail. And when you have turned back,
strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to
prison and to death.”
34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the
rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know
me.”
35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without
purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,”
they answered.
36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take
it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your
cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered
with the transgressors;’ and I tell you that this must be
fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching
its fulfillment.”
38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two
swords.” “That is enough,” he replied.
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and
his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he
said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down
and prayed,
42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;
yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven
appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in
anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like
drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the
disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and
pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Jesus Arrested
47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and
the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading
them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked
him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen,
they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And
one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting
off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he
touched the man’s ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers
of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him,
“Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords
and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts,
and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when
darkness reigns.”
Peter Disowns Jesus
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him
into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a
distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the
middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat
down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in
the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man
was with him.”
57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he
said.
58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You
also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.
59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly
this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re
talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter
remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the
rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And
he went outside and wept bitterly.
The Guards Mock Jesus
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and
beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded,
“Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other
insulting things to him.
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the
people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law,
met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are
the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I
tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you,
you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man
will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”
70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He
replied, “You say that I am.”
71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony?
We have heard it from his own lips.”
|
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
