3 to be crucified.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the place of the high priest, 4 who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by artifice, and kill 5 him. But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

6

Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the 7 house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster-box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he 8 sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they

had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this 9 waste?* For this ointment might have been 10 sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought 11 a good work upon me. For ye have the poor

always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on 13 my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscar15 iot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they convenanted with 16 him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray

him.

* This seems to have been the remark of Judas only.

17

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare 18 for thee to eat the passover? And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my 19 disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the 20 passover. Now when the even was come, he 21 sat down with the twelve. And as they did

eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one 22 of you shall betray me. And they were ex

ceeding sorrowful, and began every one of 23 them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him : but wo unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed: it had been good for that 25 man if he had not been born. Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Master is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed God, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my 27 body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 for this is my blood of the new testament which 29 is shed for many for the remission of sins. But

I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink

it new with you in my Father's kingdom.* 30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went 31 out into the mount of Olives. Then saith

Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock 32 shall be scattered abroad. But after I am

risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though

all men shall be offended because of thee, yet 34 will I never be offended.† Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

36

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, 37 Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful, and very 38 heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry 39 ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will 40 but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith

* After the resurrection of our Lord, the kingdom of heaven, or of the gospel, may be considered as commencing. Weak, ignorant man, how little did he know of himself! He soon denied his master with an oath.

unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me 41 one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not

into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, 42 but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from 43 me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And

he came and found them asleep again: for 44 their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and

went away again, and prayed the third time, 45 saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the 46 hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

47

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief 48 priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him, gave them asign, saying, Whomsover I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him 49 fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and 50 said, Hail, Master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they and laid hands on 51 Jesus, and took him. And behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant 52 of a high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then

*

Sleep afterward, as is plain from the next verse, "Rise, let us be going," &c.—or better perhaps, "Do ye still sleep ?"

said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword 53 shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve le54 gions of angels? But how then shall the scrip55 tures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In the same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on 56 me. But all this was done, that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.*

57

And they who had laid hold on Jesus, led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high

priest's palace, and went in and sat with the 59 servants to see the end. Now the chief priests

and elders, and all the council sought false 60 witness against Jesus to put him to death; but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came 61 two false witnesses, and said, This person

said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, 62 and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against

*The disciples of Christ had hitherto considered him as a national deliverer. When they saw him in the hands of his enemies and without power, they seem to have abandoned his cause.