2. They were saying, “We must not do it during the festival, because the people will riot.”
3. Jesus was eating in Bethany at the home of Simon, who once had leprosy, when a woman came in with a very expensive bottle of sweet-smelling perfume. After breaking it open, she poured the perfume on Jesus' head.
4. This made some of the guests angry, and they complained, “Why such a waste?
5. We could have sold this perfume for more than three hundred silver coins and given the money to the poor!” So they started saying cruel things to the woman.
6. But Jesus said:Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me.
7. You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won't always have me here with you.
8. She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial.
9. You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.
17-18. While Jesus and the twelve disciples were eating together that evening, he said, “The one who will betray me is now eating with me.”
19. This made the disciples sad, and one after another they said to Jesus, “Surely you don't mean me!”
20. He answered, “It is one of you twelve men who is eating from this dish with me.
21. The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But it is going to be terrible for the one who betrays me. That man would be better off if he had never been born.”
22. During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this. It is my body.”
23. Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He gave it to his disciples, and said, “Drink it!” So they all drank some.
24. Then he said, “This is my blood, which is poured out for many people, and with it God makes his agreement.
25. From now on I will not drink any wine, until I drink new wine in God's kingdom.”
26. Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
27. Jesus said to his disciples, “All of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say,‘I will strike downthe shepherd,and the sheepwill be scattered.’
28. But after I am raised to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
29. Peter spoke up, “Even if all the others reject you, I never will!”
30. Jesus replied, “This very night before a cock crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me.”
31. But Peter was so sure of himself that he said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never say that I don't know you!”All the others said the same thing.
32. Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, “Sit here while I pray.”
33. Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and
34. told them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”