One of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to the leading priests to inform them of his willingness to betray Jesus into their hands. They were delighted to hear this and agreed to pay him for it. So immediately Judas began to look for the right opportunity to betray him.
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover Lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where would you like us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
So he sent two of his disciples ahead into Jerusalem with these instructions: “Make your way into the city and watch for a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of whatever house he enters, ‘The Teacher wants to ask you: “Do you have my room ready where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?” ’ And he will show you a large upstairs room ready and with a table set. Make preparations for us there.”
So they went into the city and found everything to be exactly like Jesus had prophesied, and they prepared for him the Passover meal. And when evening came, he entered the house and went upstairs with his twelve disciples. Over dinner, while they were reclining around the table, Jesus said, “Listen to the truth: One of you eating here with me is about to betray me.”
Feeling deeply troubled by these words, one after another asked him, “Is it I?”
He answered, “It is one of you twelve who has shared meals with me as an intimate friend. All that was prophesied of me, the Son of Man, is destined to soon take place, but it will be disastrous for the one who betrays the Son of Man. It would be far better for him if he had never been born!”
As they were dining, Jesus took the bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples. He said to them, “Receive this; it is my body.” Then taking the cup of wine and giving thanks to the Father, he declared the new covenant with them. And as each one drank from the cup, he said to them, “This is my blood, which seals the new covenant poured out for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the day comes when we drink it together in the kingdom feast of my Father.” Then they sang a psalm and afterwards left for the Mount of Olives.
Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away and desert me. This will fulfill the prophecy of the Scripture that says:
I will strike down the shepherd
and all the sheep will scatter.
“But after I am risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
Then Peter spoke up and said, “Even if all the rest lose their faith and fall away, I will still be beside you!”
Jesus said, “Mark my words, Peter. This very night, before the rooster crows twice a few hours from now, you will deny that you know me three times.”
But Peter was insistent and replied emphatically, “I will absolutely not! Under no circumstances will I ever deny you—even if I have to die with you!” And all the others repeated the same thing.
Then Jesus led his disciples to an orchard called “The Oil Press.” He told them, “Sit here while I pray awhile.” He took Peter, Jacob, and John with him. An intense feeling of great horror plunged his soul into deep sorrow. And he said to them, “My heart is overwhelmed with anguish and crushed with grief. It feels as though I’m dying. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
He walked a short distance away, and being overcome with grief, he threw himself facedown on the ground. He prayed that if it were possible, he would not have to experience this hour of suffering. He prayed, “Abba, my Father, all things are possible for you. Please—remove this cup of suffering! Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill your plan for me.”
Then he came back to his three disciples and found them all sound asleep. He awakened Peter and said to him, “Simon, are you asleep? Do you lack the strength to stay awake with me for even just an hour? Keep alert and pray that you’ll be spared from this time of testing. For your spirit is eager enough, but your humanity is feeble.”
Then he left them a second time and went to pray the same thing. Afterward, he came back to the disciples and found them sound asleep, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open and they didn’t know what to say to him.
After praying for the third time, he returned to his disciples and awoke them again, saying, “Do you plan on sleeping and resting indefinitely? That’s enough sleep! The end has come and the hour has arrived for the Son of Man to be handed over to the authority of sinful men. Get up and let’s go. Don’t you see? My betrayer draws near.”
At that moment Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, along with a large crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent to arrest Jesus by order of the ruling priests, the religious scholars, and the Jewish leaders. Now, Judas, the traitor, had arranged to give them a signal that would identify Jesus, for he had told them, “Jesus is the man I will kiss. So arrest him and take him away.” Judas quickly stepped up to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, my teacher!” and he kissed him on both cheeks.
Then the armed men seized Jesus to arrest him.
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