Mark
14
- Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened
Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the
law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.
- "But not during the Feast," they
said, "or the people may riot."
- While he was in Bethany, reclining at the
table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an
alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the
jar and poured the perfume on his head.
- Some of those present were saying indignantly
to one another, "Why this waste of perfume
?
- It could have been sold for more than a
year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
- "Leave her alone," said Jesus.
"Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
- The poor you will always have with you,
and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.
- She did what she could. She poured perfume
on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
- I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel
is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in
memory of her."
- Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,
went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
- They were delighted to hear this and promised
to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
- On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples
asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you
to eat the Passover ?"
- So he sent two of his disciples, telling
them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet
you. Follow him.
- Say to the owner of the house he enters,
'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with
my disciples ?'
- He will show you a large upper room, furnished
and ready. Make preparations for us there."
- The disciples left, went into the city and
found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
- When evening came, Jesus arrived with the
Twelve.
- While they were reclining at the table eating,
he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me--one who is
eating with me."
- They were saddened, and one by one they
said to him, "Surely not I ?"
- "It is one of the Twelve," he
replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me.
- The Son of Man will go just as it is written
about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better
for him if he had not been born."
- While they were eating, Jesus took bread,
gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take
it; this is my body."
- Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered
it to them, and they all drank from it.
- "This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many," he said to them.
- "I tell you the truth, I will not drink
again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the
kingdom of God."
- When they had sung a hymn, they went out
to the Mount of Olives.
- "You will all fall away," Jesus
told them, "for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and
the sheep will be scattered.'
- But after I have risen, I will go ahead
of you into Galilee."
- Peter declared, "Even if all fall away,
I will not."
- "I tell you the truth," Jesus
answered, "today--yes, tonight--before the rooster crows twice you yourself
will disown me three times."
- But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even
if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others
said the same.
- They went to a place called Gethsemane,
and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
- He took Peter, James and John along with
him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
- "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
- Going a little farther, he fell to the ground
and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
- "Abba, Father," he said, "everything
is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what
you will."
- Then he returned to his disciples and found
them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep?
Could you not keep watch for one hour ?
- Watch and pray so that you will not fall
into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
- Once more he went away and prayed the same
thing.
- When he came back, he again found them sleeping,
because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
- Returning the third time, he said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look,
the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
- Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer
!"
- Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the
Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from
the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
- Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with
them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under
guard."
- Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!"
and kissed him.
- The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
- Then one of those standing near drew his
sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
- "Am I leading a rebellion," said
Jesus, "that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me
?
- Every day I was with you, teaching in the
temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."
- Then everyone deserted him and fled.
- A young man, wearing nothing but a linen
garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,
- he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
- They took Jesus to the high priest, and
all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.
- Peter followed him at a distance, right
into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed
himself at the fire.
- The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin
were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death,
but they did not find any.
- Many testified falsely against him, but
their statements did not agree.
- Then some stood up and gave this false testimony
against him:
- "We heard him say, 'I will destroy
this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"
- Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
- Then the high priest stood up before them
and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony
that these men are bringing against you ?"
- But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed One ?"
- "I am," said Jesus. "And
you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and
coming on the clouds of heaven."
- The high priest tore his clothes. "Why
do we need any more witnesses?" he asked.
- "You have heard the blasphemy. What
do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death.
- Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded
him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the
guards took him and beat him.
- While Peter was below in the courtyard,
one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
- When she saw Peter warming himself, she
looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,"
she said.
- But he denied it. "I don't know or
understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the
entryway.
- When the servant girl saw him there, she
said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."
- Again he denied it. After a little while,
those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you
are a Galilean."
- He began to call down curses on himself,
and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."
- Immediately the rooster crowed the second
time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before
the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke
down and wept.
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