22:1 Now the feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was drawing near,
22:2 and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to put him to death, for they were afraid of the people.
22:3 Then Satan entered into Judas, the one surnamed Iscariot, who was counted among the Twelve,
22:4 and he went to the chief priests and temple guards to discuss a plan for handing him over to them.
22:5 They were pleased and agreed to pay him money.
22:6 He accepted their offer and sought a favorable opportunity to hand him over to them in the absence of a crowd.
22:7 When the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived, the day for sacrificing the Passover lamb,
22:8 he sent out Peter and John, instructing them, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."
22:9 They asked him, "Where do you want us to make the preparations?"
22:10 And he answered them, "When you go into the city, a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him into the house that he enters
22:11 and say to the master of the house, ’the teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'
22:12 He will show you a large upper room that is furnished. Make the preparations there."
22:13 Then they went off and found everything exactly as he had told them, and there they prepared the Passover.
22:14 When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles.
22:15 He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
22:16 for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
22:17 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves;
22:18 for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
22:19 Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me."
22:20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.
22:21 "And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me is with me on the table;
22:22 for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed."
22:23 And they began to debate among themselves who among them would do such a deed.
22:24 Then an argument broke out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
22:25 He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors';
22:26 but among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.
22:27 For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves.
22:28 It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
22:29 and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me,
22:30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
22:31 "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat,
22:32 but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers."
22:33 He said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you."
22:34 But he replied, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me."
22:35 He said to them, "When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No, nothing," they replied.
22:36 He said to them, "But now one who has a money bag should take it, and likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.
22:37 For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, 'He was counted among the wicked'; and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment."
22:38 Then they said, "Lord, look, there are two swords here." But he replied, "It is enough!"
22:39 Then going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.
22:40 When he arrived at the place he said to them, "Pray that you may not undergo the test."
22:41 After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed,
22:42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done."
22:43 (And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
22:44 He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.)
22:45 When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief.
22:46 He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test."
22:47 While he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
22:48 Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
22:49 His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, "Lord, shall we strike with a sword?"
22:50 And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
22:51 But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of this!" Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
22:52 And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
22:53 Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness."
22:54 After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest; Peter was following at a distance.
22:55 They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them.
22:56 When a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said, "This man too was with him."
22:57 But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
22:58 A short while later someone else saw him and said, "You too are one of them"; but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
22:59 About an hour later, still another insisted, "Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean."
22:60 But Peter said, "My friend, I do not know what you are talking about." Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
22:61 and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."
22:62 He went out and began to weep bitterly.
22:63 The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
22:64 They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?"
22:65 And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.
22:66 When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
22:67 They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us," but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe,
22:68 and if I question, you will not respond.
22:69 But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God."
22:70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them, "You say that I am."
22:71 Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth."