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