3-5. At that very moment, the party of high priests and religious leaders was meeting in the chambers of the Chief Priest named Caiaphas, conspiring to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. “We don’t want a riot on our hands,” they said.
23-24. Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”
25. Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?”Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.”
26-29. During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:Take, eat.This is my body.Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:Drink this, all of you.This is my blood,God’s new covenant poured out for many peoplefor the forgiveness of sins.“I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.”
30. They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.
31-32. Then Jesus told them, “Before the night’s over, you’re going to fall to pieces because of what happens to me. There is a Scripture that says,I’ll strike the shepherd;helter-skelter the sheep will be scattered.But after I am raised up, I, your Shepherd, will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee.”
33. Peter broke in, “Even if everyone else falls to pieces on account of you, I won’t.”
34. “Don’t be so sure,” Jesus said. “This very night, before the rooster crows up the dawn, you will deny me three times.”
35. Peter protested, “Even if I had to die with you, I would never deny you.” All the others said the same thing.
36-38. Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”
39. Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”
40-41. When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”