< Mark 14 >
1 It was two days before the Passover and the Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for an underhanded way to seize and kill Him.
2 But they said, “Not during the feast, or the people may riot.”
3 Being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He was reclining at a meal, a woman came having an alabaster vase of very costly perfume of pure nard. Then she broke the vase and began to pour it over His head.
4 But there were some who were expressing indignation to one another and saying: “To what purpose was this perfume wasted?
5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor!” And they started censuring her.
6 But Jesus said: “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done something useful to me.
7 You will always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do them good; but you will not always have me.
8 She did what she could. She has perfumed my body for the burying before the fact.
9 Assuredly I tell you, wherever this Gospel may be proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, so as to betray Him to them.
11 Well upon hearing it they rejoiced and promised to give him silver coins. So he started figuring how he might conveniently betray Him.
12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they would sacrifice the Paschal lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare, so that you may eat the Passover?”
13 So He sent two of His disciples, saying to them: “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a clay jar of water; follow him.
14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The teacher says, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”
16 So His disciples set out and came into the city and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 When it was evening He came with the twelve.
18 Now as they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Assuredly I tell you, one of you who is eating with me will betray me.”
19 So they began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another, “Surely not I?”
20 He answered and said to them: “It is one of the twelve, the one dipping with me in the bowl.
21 The Son of the Man is indeed going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of the Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man not to have been born.”
22 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank it.
24 And He said to them: “This is my blood, that of the new covenant, that is being shed for many.
25 I tell you assuredly that I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them: “All of you will be caused to stumble because of me this night, because it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
29 But Peter said to Him, “Even if all are caused to stumble, yet not I.”
30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you assuredly that you, today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
31 But he insisted even more vehemently, “If I have to die with you, I will absolutely not deny you!” And all the others said the same.
32 Then they came to a place that was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 But He took with Him Peter, James and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed.
34 And He said to them: “My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going on a little, He fell to the ground and started praying that if it were possible the hour might pass from Him.
36 And He said: “Abba (Father), all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter: “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn't you keep watch for even one hour?
38 Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing.
40 And when He returned He found them sleeping again, because their eyes were being weighed down; and they did not know how to answer Him.
41 Then He came the third time and said to them: “You are still sleeping and resting! It is enough, the hour has come; yes, the Son of the Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Get up, let's be going. See, my betrayer has approached.”
43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him a considerable crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, he it is; seize him and take him away securely.”
45 So upon arriving he went directly to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
46 So they laid their hands on Him and secured Him.
47 But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus reacted by saying to them: “You have come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as if I were a bandit.
49 I was with you daily in the temple, teaching, and you did not seize me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”
50 Then they all deserted Him and ran away.
51 Now a certain young man had followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. The young men grabbed him,
52 so leaving the linen cloth he fled from them naked.
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.
54 Well Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the operatives and warming himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus so as to kill Him, but were not finding any.
56 To be sure, many were testifying falsely against Him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and started testifying falsely against Him, saying,
58 “We heard him saying: ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’”
59 But not even then did their testimony agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up in the center and questioned Jesus, saying: “Are you not going to answer? What are these testifying against you?”
61 But He remained silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest questioned Him and said to Him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”
62 So Jesus said: “I am, and you will see the Son of the Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of the heaven.”
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said: “What further need do we have of witnesses?
64 You heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Then some began to spit on Him, to cover His face, punch Him and say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the operatives started slapping Him.
66 Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
67 And seeing Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Natsarene!”
68 But Peter denied, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out into the entryway, and a rooster crowed.
69 But that servant girl saw him again and began to say to those standing by, “This guy is one of them.”
70 But again he kept denying it. Again, after a little while, those who were standing by said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them; because you really are a Galilean, and your accent agrees!”
71 Then he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you are speaking!”
72 And for the second time a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” He broke down and started to cry.
