Mark 14
1The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were two days away. The chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to seize him by deceit and kill him. 2For they said, “Not during the festival, or there will be an uproar among the people.”
3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it over his head. 4Some were indignant, saying to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5This perfume could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her harshly. 6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful deed for me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good for them. But you do not always have me. 8She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
10Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to hand him over to them. 11When they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought a convenient way to hand him over.
12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 15He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Prepare for us there.” 16The disciples went out and came into the city. They found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17When evening came, he arrived with the Twelve. 18As they reclined and ate, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will hand me over—one who is eating with me.” 19They began to grieve and to say to him, one by one, “Surely not I?” 20He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one dipping with me into the bowl. 21For the Son of Man goes just as it is written about him, but woe to that person through whom the Son of Man is handed over! It would have been good for that person if he had not been born.”
22While they were eating, he took bread, spoke a blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. He said, “Take it; this is my body.” 23He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will certainly not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27Jesus said to them, “You will all stumble, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28“But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29Peter said to him, “Even if everyone stumbles, I will not.” 30Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31But he kept saying emphatically, “Even if I must die with you, I will certainly not deny you.” And they all said the same.
32They came to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33He took Peter, James, and John with him and began to be overcome with dread and distress. 34He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” 35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him. 36He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37He came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake for one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down. They did not know what to answer him. 41He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners. 42Get up; let us go. Look, the one handing me over has drawn near.”
43Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44The one handing him over had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss is he. Seize him and lead him away securely.” 45When he arrived, he immediately approached him and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46They laid hands on him and seized him. 47But one of those standing nearby drew his sword, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his ear. 48Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a robber? 49Day after day I was with you in the temple, teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” 50And they all left him and fled.
51A certain young man was following him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. They seized him, 52but he left the linen cloth behind and fled naked.
53They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes gathered. 54Peter followed him at a distance, right into the high priest's courtyard. He sat with the officers and warmed himself at the fire. 55The chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56For many gave false testimony against him, but their testimonies did not agree. 57Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58“We heard him say, ‘I will tear down this sanctuary made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’” 59Even so, their testimony did not agree.
60The high priest stood up in their midst and questioned Jesus: “Do you answer nothing? What is this testimony they bring against you?” 61But he remained silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest questioned him and said, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63The high priest tore his tunics and said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy. What does it seem to you?” They all condemned him as deserving death. 65Some began to spit on him, cover his face, strike him with their fists, and say to him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received him with blows.
66While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's slave girls came. 67Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” He went outside into the entrance court, and a rooster crowed. 69The slave girl saw him and began again to tell those standing nearby, “This is one of them.” 70But again he denied it. A little later, those standing nearby again said to Peter, “Truly you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean, and your speech sounds the same.” 71He began to invoke curses and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered the words Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.