Mark 14
1 It was two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to seize him by trickery and kill him.
2 For they were saying, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
3 He was in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper. While he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly pure nard perfume. She broke the jar and poured it over his head.
4 Some were indignant and said among themselves, “Why this waste of perfume?
5 This perfume could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her harshly.
6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She has done a good deed for me.
7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can do good for them whenever you want; but you will not always have me.
8 She did what she could. She has anointed my body ahead of time for burial.
9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to hand Jesus over to them.
11 When they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he looked for a good opportunity to hand him over.
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare the Passover meal for you?”
13 He 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,
14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
15 He will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready. Prepare for us there.”
16 The disciples left, went into the city, found things just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
18 While they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will hand me over—one who is eating with me.”
19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one by one, “Surely it isn’t me?”
20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, the one dipping bread with me into the bowl.
21 For the Son of Man is going, just as it is written about him; but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is handed over! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born.”
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many.
25 Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
29 Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else falls away, I will not.”
30 Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today—this very night—before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
31 But he insisted all the more: “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same.
32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took Peter, James, and John with him, and began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”
35 He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from him.
36 He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”
37 Then he returned and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?
38 Keep watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 He went away again and prayed, saying the same words.
40 He returned again and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to say to him.
41 He came a 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.
42 Get up, let’s go! Look, the one handing me over is near.”
43 Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, and with him was a crowd with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
44 The one handing him over had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.”
45 When he arrived, he went straight up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi!” Then he kissed him.
46 They laid hands on him and seized him.
47 One of those standing nearby drew his sword, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to seize me as if I were a bandit?
49 Every day I was with you in the temple, teaching, and you did not seize me. But this is happening so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”
50 Then they all abandoned him and fled.
51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth over his naked body. They seized him,
52 but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked.
53 They led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders, and scribes gathered there.
54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the guards and warming himself by the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.
56 For many were giving false testimony against him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying,
58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this sanctuary made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with human hands.’”
59 But even so, their testimonies did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up among them and questioned Jesus: “Do you have no answer? What is this testimony they are bringing against you?”
61 But he remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.
65 Some began to spit on him, cover his face, strike him with their fists, and say, “Prophesy!” The guards took him and slapped him.
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant girls came.
67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Nazarene.”
68 But he denied it: “I neither know nor understand what you’re talking about.” And he went out to the entrance of the courtyard.
69 The servant girl saw him and began again to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”
70 But he denied it again. A little later, those standing nearby said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them, because you are a Galilean.”
71 He began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about.”
72 At once the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
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