1
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, called Passover, was near.
2
The chief priests and the scribes were looking for some way to kill Jesus. However, they were afraid of the people.
3
Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles.
4
Judas went to the chief priests and the temple guards and discussed with them how he could betray Jesus.
5
They were pleased and agreed to give him some money.
6
So Judas promised to do it. He kept looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them when there was no crowd.
7
The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb had to be killed.
8
Jesus sent Peter and John and told them, "Go, prepare the Passover lamb for us to eat."
9
They asked him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?"
10
He told them, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him into the house he enters.
11
Tell the owner of the house that the teacher asks, 'Where is the room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'
12
He will take you upstairs and show you a large furnished room. Get things ready there."
13
The disciples left. They found everything as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover.
14
When it was time to eat the Passover meal, Jesus and the apostles were at the table.
15
Jesus said to them, "I've had a deep desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
16
I can guarantee that I won't eat it again until it finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God."