Matthew 26:1-20

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1 ¹When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

2 "²You know that after two days ³the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be ⁴handed over for crucifixion."

3 ⁵Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in ⁶the court of the high priest, named ⁷Caiaphas;

4 and they ⁸plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

5 But they were saying, "Not during the festival, ⁹otherwise * a riot might occur among the people."

The Precious Ointment

6 ¹⁰Now when Jesus was in ¹¹Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

7 ¹²a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why * this waste?

9 "For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor."

10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother * the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.

11 "For you always have ¹³the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

12 "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it ¹⁴to prepare Me for burial.

13 "Truly I say to you, ¹⁵wherever * this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

Judas's Bargain

14 ¹⁶Then one of the twelve, named ¹⁷Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15 and said, "What are you willing to give me to ¹⁸betray Him to you?" And ¹⁹they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.

16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

17 ²⁰Now on the first day of ²¹Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

18 And He said, "Go into the city to ²²a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "²³My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."' "

19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

The Last Passover

20 ²⁴Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

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Cross References 24

1. Matthew 7:28
2. Matthew 26:2-5: {Mark 14:1, 2; Luke 22:1, 2}
3. John 11:55; John 13:1
4. Matthew 10:4
5. John 11:47
6. Matthew 26:58, 69; Matthew 27:27; Mark 14:54, 66; Mark 15:16; Luke 22:55; John 18:15
7. Matthew 26:57; Luke 3:2; John 11:49; John 18:13, 14, 24, 28; Acts 4:6
8. Matthew 12:14
9. Matthew 27:24
10. Matthew 26:6-13: {Mark 14:3-9;} Luke 7:37-39; John 12:1-8
11. Matthew 21:17
12. Luke 7:37
13. Deuteronomy 15:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8
14. John 19:40
15. Mark 14:9
16. Matthew 26:14-16: {Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:3-6}
17. Matthew 10:4; Matthew 26:25, 47; Matthew 27:3; John 6:71; John 12:4; John 13:26; Acts 1:16
18. Matthew 10:4
19. Exodus 21:32; Zechariah 11:12
20. Matthew 26:17-19: {Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13}
21. Exodus 12:18-20
22. Mark 14:13; Luke 22:10
23. John 7:6, 8
24. Matthew 26:20-24: {Mark 14:17-21}

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "and I will"
[b]. Or "deliver"
[c]. I.e. silver shekels
[d]. Or "deliver"
[e]. Lit "Him"