Matthew 26

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 (Mark 14.1, 2; Luke 22.1, 2; John 11.45-53) When Jesus had finished teaching, he told his disciples,

2 t2 “You know that two days from now will be Passover. That is when the Son of Man will be handed over to his enemies and nailed to a cross.”
3 At that time the chief priests and the nation’s leaders were meeting at the home of Caiaphas the high priest.4 They planned how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death.5 But they said, “We must not do it during Passover, because the people will riot.”

At Bethany

6 (Mark 14.3-9; John 12.1-8) Jesus was in the town of Bethany, eating at the home of Simon, who had leprosy.t7 t7 A woman came in with a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head.8 But when his disciples saw this, they became angry and complained, “Why such a waste?

9 We could have sold this perfume for a lot of money and given it to the poor.”
10 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said: Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me.11 t11 You will always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have me.12 She has poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.t13 You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.

Judas and the Chief Priests

14 (Mark 14.10, 11; Luke 22.3-6) Judas Iscariott was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests15 t15 and asked, “How much will you give me if I help you arrest Jesus?” They paid Judas thirty silver coins,16 and from then on he started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.

Jesus Eats the Passover Meal with His Disciples

17 (Mark 14.12-21; Luke 22.7-13; John 13.21-30) On the first day of the Festival of Thin Bread, Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?”

18 Jesus told them to go to a certain man in the city and tell him, “Our teacher says, ‘My time has come! I want to eat the Passover meal with my disciples in your home.’ ”

19 They did as Jesus told them and prepared the meal.

20-21 When Jesus was eating with his twelve disciples that evening, he said, “One of you will surely hand me over to my enemies.”

22 The disciples were very sad, and each one said to Jesus, “Lord, you can’t mean me!”
23 t He answered, “One of you men who has eaten with me from this dish will betray me.

24 The Son of Man will die, as the Scriptures say. But it’s going to be terrible for the one who betrays me! That man would be better off if he had never been born.”
25 Judas said, “Teacher, you surely don’t mean me!” “That’s what you say!” Jesus replied. But later, Judas did betray him.

The Lord’s Supper

26 (Mark 14.22-26; Luke 22.14-23; 1 Corinthians 11.23-25) During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”

27 Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this and drink it.28 t28 This is my blood, and with it God makes his agreement with you. It will be poured out, so that many people will have their sins forgiven.29 From now on I am not going to drink any wine, until I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.”30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Peter’s Promise

31 (Mark 14.27-31; Luke 22.31-34; John 13.36-38) t Jesus said to his disciples, “During this very night, all of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say, ‘I will strike down
the shepherd,
and the sheep
will be scattered.’

32 t32 But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”

33 Peter spoke up, “Even if all the others reject you, I never will!”
34 Jesus replied, “I promise you that before a rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”35 But Peter said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don’t know you.” All the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays

36 (Mark 14.32-42; Luke 22.39-46) Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37 Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John.t He was very sad and troubled,

38 and he said to them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”

39 Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup.t But do what you want, and not what I want.”
40 He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, “Can’t any of you stay awake with me for just one hour?

41 Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”

42 Again Jesus went to pray and said, “My Father, if there is no other way, and I must suffer, I will still do what you want.”
43 Jesus came back and found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open.

44 He left them and prayed the same prayer once more.
45 Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting?t The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.46 Get up! Let’s go. The one who will betray me is already here.”

Jesus is Arrested

47 (Mark 14.43-50; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12) Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a large mob armed with swords and clubs was with him. They had been sent by the chief priests and the nation’s leaders.

48 Judas had told them ahead of time, “Arrest the man I greet with a kiss.” t

49 Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, “Hello, teacher.” Then Judas kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “My friend, why are you here?” t The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

51 One of Jesus’ followers pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
52 But Jesus told him, “Put your sword away. Anyone who lives by fighting will die by fighting.53 Don’t you know that I could ask my Father, and right away he would send me more than twelve armies of angels?

54 But then, how could the words of the Scriptures come true, which say that this must happen?”
55 t Jesus said to the mob, “Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? Day after day I sat and taught in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me.56 But all this happened, so that what the prophets wrote would come true.” All of Jesus’ disciples left him and ran away.

Jesus is Questioned by the Council

57 (Mark 14.53-65; Luke 22.54, 55, 63-71; John 18.13, 14, 19-24) After Jesus had been arrested, he was led off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The nation’s leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses were meeting there.

58 But Peter followed along at a distance and came to the courtyard of the high priest’s palace. He went in and sat down with the guards to see what was going to happen.
59 The chief priests and the whole council wanted to put Jesus to death. So they tried to find some people who would tell lies about him in court.t60 But they could not find any, even though many did come and tell lies. At last, two men came forward

61 t61 and said, “This man claimed that he would tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days.”
62 The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, “Why don’t you say something in your own defense? Don’t you hear the charges they are making against you?”

63 But Jesus did not answer. So the high priest said, “With the living God looking on, you must tell the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” t

64 t “That is what you say!” Jesus answered. “But I tell all of you, ‘Soon you will see
the Son of Man
sitting at the right side t of God All-Powerful
and coming on the clouds
of heaven.’ ”

65 t The high priest then tore his robe and said, “This man claims to be God! We don’t need any more witnesses! You have heard what he said.66 What do you think?” They answered, “He is guilty and deserves to die!”67 t67 Then they spit in his face and hit him with their fists. Others slapped him68 and said, “You think you are the Messiah! So tell us who hit you!”

Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus

69 (Mark 14.66-72; Luke 22.56-62; John 18.15-18, 25-27) While Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, a servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus from Galilee.”

70 But in front of everyone Peter said, “That isn’t so! I don’t know what you are talking about!”

71 When Peter had gone out to the gate, another servant girl saw him and said to some people there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”

72 Again Peter denied it, and this time he swore, “I don’t even know that man!”

73 A little while later some people standing there walked over to Peter and said, “We know that you are one of them. We can tell it because you talk like someone from Galilee.”
74 Peter began to curse and swear, “I don’t know that man!” Right then a rooster crowed,

75 and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter went out and cried hard.

Matthew 27

Jesus is Taken to Pilate

1 (Mark 15.1; Luke 23.1, 2; John 18.28-32) Early the next morning all the chief priests and the nation’s leaders met and decided that Jesus should be put to death.2 They tied him up and led him away to Pilate the governor.

The Death of Judas

3 (Acts 1.18, 19) t Judas had betrayed Jesus, but when he learned that Jesus had been sentenced to death, he was sorry for what he had done. He returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and leaders4 and said, “I have sinned by betraying a man who has never done anything wrong.” “So what? That’s your problem,” they replied.

5 Judas threw the money into the temple and then went out and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the money and said, “This money was paid to have a man killed. We can’t put it in the temple treasury.”7 Then they had a meeting and decided to buy a field that belonged to someone who made clay pots. They wanted to use it as a graveyard for foreigners.8 That’s why people still call that place “Field of Blood.”

9 t9 So the words of the prophet Jeremiah came true, “They took
the thirty silver coins,
the price of a person
among the people of Israel.

10 They paid it for a potter’s field, t as the Lord
had commanded me.”

Pilate Questions Jesus

11 (Mark 15.2-5; Luke 23.3-5; John 18.33-38) Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Those are your words!” Jesus answered.

12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.
13 Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear what crimes they say you have done?”14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.

The Death Sentence

15 (Mark 15.6-15; Luke 23.13-26; John 18.39—19.16) During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people.16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas t was in jail.17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

18 Pilate knew that the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.

21 Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?” “Barabbas!” they replied.

22 Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?” They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

23 Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?” “Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

24 t Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his handst in front of them and said, “I won’t have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”

25 Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”
26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus

27 (Mark 15.16-21; John 19.2, 3) The governor’s soldiers led Jesus into the fortresst and brought together the rest of the troops.28 They stripped off Jesus’ clothes and put a scarlet robet on him.29 They made a crown out of thorn branches and placed it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. The soldiers knelt down and pretended to worship him. They made fun of him and shouted, “Hey, you king of the Jews!”30 Then they spit on him. They took the stick from him and beat him on the head with it.

Jesus is Nailed to a Cross

31 (Mark 15.22-32; Luke 23.27-43; John 19.17-27) When the soldiers had finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him and led him off to be nailed to a cross.

32 On the way they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.
33 They came to a place named Golgotha, which means “Place of a Skull.”t

34 t34 There they gave Jesus some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain. But when Jesus tasted what it was, he refused to drink it.
35 t The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes.36 Then they sat down to guard him.37 Above his head they put a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

38 The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.
39 t People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and

40 t40 shouted, “So you’re the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God’s Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
41 The chief priests, the leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said,42 “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross! Then we will believe him.43 t43 He trusted God, so let God save him, if he wants to. He even said he was God’s Son.”44 The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.

The Death of Jesus

45 (Mark 15.33-41; Luke 23.44-49; John 19.28-30) At noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o’clock.

46 t46 Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”t which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”t

48 t48 One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.
49 Others said, “Wait! Let’s see if Elijah will comet and save him.”

50 Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
51 t At once the curtain in the templet was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart.52 Graves opened, and many of God’s people were raised to life.

53 They left their graves, and after Jesus had risen to life, they went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.

54 The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God’s Son!”
55 t Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance.56 Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and Johnt were some of these women.

Jesus is Buried

57 (Mark 15.42-47; Luke 23.50-56; John 19.38-42) That evening a rich disciple named Joseph from the town of Arimathea58 went and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for it to be given to Joseph,59 who took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth.

60 Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rockt and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.

61 All this time Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb.
62 On the next day, which was a Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees went together to Pilate.63 t63 They said, “Sir, we remember what that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed that in three days he would come back from death.

64 So please order the tomb to be carefully guarded for three days. If you don’t, his disciples may come and steal his body. They will tell the people that he has been raised to life, and this last lie will be worse than the first one.” t
65 Pilate said to them, “All right, take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how.”

66 So they sealed it tight and placed soldiers there to guard it.

Matthew 28

Jesus is Alive

1 (Mark 16.1-8; Luke 24.1-12; John 20.1-10) The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.2 Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord’s angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it.3 The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

4 The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.
5 The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross.6 He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying.

7 Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you.”
8 The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples.9 Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him.10 Then Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”

Report of the Guard

11 While the women were on their way, some soldiers who had been guarding the tomb went into the city. They told the chief priests everything that had happened.12 So the chief priests met with the leaders and decided to bribe the soldiers with a lot of money.13 They said to the soldiers, “Tell everyone that Jesus’ disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep.14 If the governort hears about this, we will talk to him. You won’t have anything to worry about.”15 The soldiers took the money and did what they were told. The people of Judea still tell each other this story.

What Jesus’ Followers Must Do

16 (Mark 16.14-18; Luke 24.36-49; John 20.19-23; Acts 1.6-8) t Jesus’ eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to meet him.

17 They saw him and worshiped him, but some of them doubted.
18 Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth!19 t19 Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.