After Jesus had said these things, he said to his disciples, “You know, in two days the Passover will happen, and the Son of Man will be given up to be killed on a cross.”
The leader priests and people’s elders gathered at head priest Caiaphas’ palace and discussed how they could secretly capture Jesus and heal him. They said, “We won’t do it during the feast, or the people might riot.”
Jesus was in Bethany at Simon the leper’s house. A woman came to him with an alabaster bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head while he was reclining at a table. The disciples saw this and were angry. “What a waste! That could have been sold for a lot of money and donated to the poor.”
Jesus heard them and said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She had been kind to me. There will always be poor people with you, but you won’t always have me. When this woman poured the perfume on me, she did it to get me ready to be buried. I’m telling you, where the gospel is told across the world, it will also be told what this woman did, to remember her.”
One of the 12 disciples, Judas Iscariot, went to the leader priests and asked, “What would you give me if I gave you Jesus?” They promised him 30 silver coins. From then on, Judas waited for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.
On the first day of the Bread Feast, the disciples can to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to get ready for you to eat the Passover meal?”
Jesus replied, “Go to the city, find somebody and say, ‘The teacher says my time is coming. I am preparing the Passover meal to have with you and my disciples.'”
The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions and got the Passover meal ready.
In the evening, Jesus was reclining at the table with his 12 disciples. While they were eating, he said, “I’m telling you, one of you will betray me.”
All of the disciples were distraught and asked, “It’s not me, is it, Lord?”
Jesus answered, “Whoever dips their hand into the same bowl as me will be the one who will betray me. The Son of Man will leave just like it is written, but I feel sorry for whoever will betray the Son of Man. It would be better for him if he had never been born.
Judas, the betrayer, asked, “It’s not me, is it, teacher?”
“So you say,” Jesus replied.
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, prayed over it, broke it and gave it to his disciples. “Take and eat it. It’s my body.”
Then he took a cup, prayed over it and gave it to them. “Each of you drink it because this is my blood of the agreement which will spill to forgive many people’s sins. I’m telling you, from now on I won’t drink this vine fruit until the day I’ll drink it differently with you in my father’s kingdom.”
Then they all sang and went to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus then said to his disciples, “You will all fall because of me tonight, because it is written, ‘Strike the shepherd and the flock’s sheep will be dispersed.’ But after I wake up, I’ll go before you into Galilee.”
Peter said, “If they fall because of you, I still won’t fall!”
“I’m telling you, during the night, before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times,” Jesus replied.
Peter said, “Even if I need to die I won’t deny you.” The rest of the disciples said the same thing.
Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told them, “Sit here while I go away and pray.”
He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons aside and began to be sad and anxious. Jesus said to them, “My soul is distraught to death. Stay here and awake with me.”
He went on a little further and fell to the floor, praying, “Father, if possible, can this cup go away from me. But only as you desire.”
He returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He asked Peter, “Couldn’t you have stayed awake for one hour? Stay awake and pray you won’t be tempted. The spirit is keen, but the body is weak.”
Jesus went away again and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot go away unless I drink it, your desire must happen.”
He returned again and found the disciples asleep because they were tired. Jesus left and prayed for a third time, saying the same thing again.
He returned to his disciples and said, “Still sleeping and relaxing? Look, the hour is coming when the Son of Man is being handed over to sinners. Get up and let’s go. Look, the betrayer is coming.”
As he was still speaking, one of the twelve disciples, Judas, arrived with a large group of people with swords and weapons from the chief priests and elders of the people.
The betrayer had given them a sign, “Who I kiss is to be taken.”
Judas came straight to Jesus and said, “Hello, teacher,” and kissed him.
Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you have come to do.”
They came and grabbed Jesus and captured him. One of those with Jesus lunged, drew his sword and sliced at the high priest’s slave, cutting off his ear.
Jesus said to him, “Put your sword away because everyone who arms themselves will die by the sword. Do you think I can’t ask my Father for backup? He would immediately send 12 legions of angels. How would the writings be satisfied if it happened like that?” Jesus then said to the crowd, “You’ve come with swords and weapons to capture me like I’m a robber? I sat, teaching, in the temple every day and you didn’t capture me then. This has all happened to fulfil the prophet’s writings.”
All the disciples abandoned him and ran away.
Those who captured Jesus took him to the high priest, Caiaphas, where the law experts and elders had also gathered.
Peter followed from a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. He went inside and sat with the servants to see what would happen.
The chief priests and the leading council in Jerusalem looked for false testimony against Jesus so they could kill him. They could not find one, despite many false witnesses coming forward to try.
Finally, two arrived and said, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and build it up again in just three days.'”
The high priest stood and asked Jesus, “Don’t you have an answer for what these people are saying against you?”
Jesus didn’t reply.
The high priest said. “You are obligated by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Jesus said, “So you say. But I’m saying from now you’ll see the Son of Man sitting to the right of power and coming on heavenly clouds.”
The high priest ripped at his clothes and said, “He’s insulting God! Why would we need more witnesses? Think, you’ve heard him insult God! What’s your opinion?”
The others answered, “He should be killed.”
They spat at his face and punched and slapped him. They said “Teach us from God, Christ. Who hit you?”
Peter was sitting out in the courtyard when a servant girl came to him and said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean.”
Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He was leaving by the front door when another servant saw him and said to some others, “He was with Jesus the Nazarene.”
He denied it again, swearing, “I don’t know him!”
A little later, others standing around came to Peter and said, “You are really one of them. Even your accent is telling.”
He began swearing and promised them, “I don’t know the man!” A rooster immediately crowed.
Peter remembered what Jesus had said, ‘Before a rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.’
Peter went outside and cried in agony.
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Continue exploring Matthew 26
If you’d like to read Matthew 26 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try Matthew 26 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try Matthew 26 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try Matthew 26 in the Contemporary English Version.
If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
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For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version
If you’d like to explore Matthew in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
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Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew
Matthew (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of Matthew (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
Not My Life 