Mark 14:1-21

It was now two days before the Passover and [the festival of] Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were searching for a deceitful way to arrest Jesus and kill Him; [Matt 26:2-5; Luke 22:1, 2] but they were saying, “Not during the festival, for the people might riot.” While He was in Bethany [as a guest] at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster vial of very costly and precious perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured the perfume over His head. But there were some who were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [a laborer’s wages for almost a year], and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why are you bothering her and causing trouble? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do something good to them; but you will not always have Me. [Deut 15:11] She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever the good news [regarding salvation] is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve [disciples], went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. [Matt 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6; John 6:71] When they heard this they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus. On the first day [of the festival] of Unleavened Bread, when [as was customary] they sacrificed the Passover lamb, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” [Matt 26:17-19; Luke 22:7-13] And He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him; and say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ He will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready [with carpets and dining couches]; prepare [the supper] for us there.” The disciples left and went to the city and found everything just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, He came with the twelve [disciples]. [Matt 26:20-25] While they were reclining at the table, Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” [Ps 41:9] They began to be grieved and deeply distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” And He replied, “It is one of the twelve [disciples], one who is dipping bread in the bowl with Me. For the Son of Man goes [to the cross] just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”