The Last Supper12It was the custom to sacrifice the Passover Lamb on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread. So the disciples asked Jesus: "Where should we go to prepare for You to eat the Passover meal?"13-14He sent two of the disciples into the city telling them: "You will be met by a man carrying a jar of water," normally a task done by women. "Follow him and say to the owner of the house he enters, 'Take us to the guest room, where the Teacher will eat the Passover with His disciples.'15He will take you to a large room upstairs, furnished and suitable. Prepare for us to eat there together."16The disciples went into the city and everything happened exactly as Jesus had said. So they made preparations for the Passover.17Jesus arrived with the twelve in the evening.18During the meal, while they were reclining at the table, Jesus said: "I tell you truly, one of you who is eating with Me now is going to betray Me."19Such a thing seemed unthinkable and they were all shocked. One by one they asked Him: "Surely I would never do that. It isn't me, is it?"20Jesus repeated: "It is one of you twelve who have been close to Me, one who dips bread in the bowl with Me now.21The Son of Man will leave you in the way that has been prophesied. It is already written. But the man who betrays the Son of Man will be cursed eternally. It would have been better for him if he had never been born."22During the meal Jesus took some bread, gave thanks to God and then broke it, giving a piece to each disciple saying: "Take this, for this is My body."23Then He took a cup, gave thanks over it and passed it round for all of them to drink.24As they did so, He said: "This is My blood that is to be poured out for many, the blood of the new covenant between God and man.25I tell you most emphatically that I will not drink of the vine's fruit again until the day I drink the new wine in God's heavenly Kingdom."Jesus predicts Peter's denial26They sang a hymn of praise to God before leaving to go to the Mount of Olives.27Jesus told them: "All of you will fail Me, for it has been written, 'I will strike the shepherd and then the sheep will be scattered.'28However, after I have risen, I will see you again in Galilee."29"Even if everyone else fails You, I will never do that," declared Peter.30Jesus told him: "I tell you, there is no doubt that tonight even you will have denied three times that you know Me before you hear the rooster crow for the second time."31Peter was most insistent: "I am ready to die with You if necessary. I would certainly never deny that I knew You!" The attitude of all the others was similar.Gethsemane32When they came to the place known as Gethsemane, Jesus said to His disciples: "I am going to pray; sit here and wait for Me."33He then took Peter, James and John with Him, but it was clear that He was now very troubled and was in deep distress.34He told them: "I am so overcome with such sadness that I feel I could die. Stay here and pray for Me."35He went further ahead by Himself, fell to the ground on His face and prayed that, if possible, He might not have to suffer what lay ahead.36"Father, Father," He kept saying, "everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering from Me, but only if this is Your will, not Mine."37When He returned to where He left the three disciples, He found them asleep. "Are you sleeping, Simon?" He asked Peter. "Was it too much to ask you to pray for Me for just one hour?38Be on the watch and pray that you will not yield to temptation. Your spirit may be willing, but your body is weak."39He went away on His own again and prayed in a similar manner as before.40When He returned, He again found them asleep; they were too tired to keep awake. Embarrassed, they did not know what to say to Him.41After praying a third time, Jesus returned again: "Are you still sleeping? All you can do is rest! Enough of this! My time has now come. Look, the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.42Get up! Let us go and meet My betrayer!"Jesus' arrest43Even as He was speaking, Judas, who had been one of the twelve disciples, approached together with a crowd sent by the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders. They were armed with swords and clubs.44Judas had given them a signal, 'The One I kiss is the Man you want; arrest Him and take Him away; but guard Him carefully.'45So he went directly to Jesus and greeted Him. "Rabbi," he said, and kissed Him.46Immediately the crowd grabbed hold of Him.47Then one of the disciples drew his sword and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.48"Why have you come with swords and clubs to seize Me?" Jesus asked them. "I am not leading a rebellion.49Every day I taught you openly in the temple courts, but you did not dare to take Me then. However, the scriptures have to be fulfilled."50Then all Jesus' friends fled for their lives and left Him alone.51-52A young man had been following Jesus. They tried to seize him but only grabbed the linen robe he was wearing; so he fled naked.53They took Jesus to a meeting that included the high priest, all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law.54Peter followed at a safe distance, even entering into the courtyard of the high priest's house where the meeting was taking place. He sat together with the guards warming himself by the fire.55-56The chief priests and the entire council wanted to find evidence against Jesus to justify putting Him to death. But they could not find anything against Him, even though many testified falsely. They could not accept their statements because they conflicted with one another.57-58Then some came forward with further false testimony against Jesus: "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with the hands of men and in three days I will raise up another temple that has not been made by men.'"59Yet even then there were discrepancies in their testimony.60Then the high priest took over and demanded of Jesus: "Are You not going to answer these allegations? What do You say about these things the witnesses are charging You with?"61Jesus said nothing, refusing to answer. So the high priest challenged Him directly: "Are You the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the blessed One?"62"I AM," said Jesus. "And you will see Me sitting as the Son of Man at the right hand of the Mighty One, when I come again on the clouds of heaven."63At this the high priest tore his robe as a sign of disgust. "We do not need any further witnesses after such a blatant admission, do we?" he asked.64"You have heard the blasphemy for yourselves. How do you vote?" They all condemned Him to death.65Some began to spit on Him. They blindfolded Him, punched Him and said: "Prophesy then! Tell us who hit You!" Then the guards took Him away and gave Him a further beating.Peter denies association with Jesus66While this was happening, Peter was still below in the courtyard where one of the high priest's servant girls saw Peter warming himself by the fire.67She looked closely at him and said: "You were one of those with that Nazarene, Jesus."68Peter denied it. "No, no, I don't know what you are talking about," he said and then withdrew to the gateway; and a cock crowed.69But the servant girl continued to look at him and said to others standing about: "I am sure this man is one of them."70But again Peter denied what she said. A short time later, one of those standing near Peter said: "You must be one of them, for you also come from Galilee."71Peter began to curse and swear to them: "I do not even know this Man of whom you speak."72No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the cock crowed for the second time. Peter immediately remembered what Jesus had said to him: 'You will deny three times that you even know Me before the rooster crows twice.' Peter felt heartbroken and could not hold back his tears.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)