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The Message Bible MSG
1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,
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In only two days the eight-day Festival of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread would begin. The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way they could seize Jesus by stealth and kill him.
2 for they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people."
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They agreed that it should not be done during Passover Week. "We don't want the crowds up in arms," they said.
3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.
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Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head.
4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that?
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Some of the guests became furious among themselves. "That's criminal! A sheer waste!
5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her.
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This perfume could have been sold for well over a year's wages and handed out to the poor." They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her.
6 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
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But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me.
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.
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You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me.
8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial.
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She did what she could when she could - she pre-anointed my body for burial.
9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."
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And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly."
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.
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Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the cabal of high priests, determined to betray him.
11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
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They couldn't believe their ears, and promised to pay him well. He started looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
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On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the day they prepare the Passover sacrifice, his disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations so you can eat the Passover meal?"
13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,
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He directed two of his disciples, "Go into the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him.
14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
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Ask the owner of whichever house he enters, 'The Teacher wants to know, Where is my guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?'
15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us."
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He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare for us there."
16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
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The disciples left, came to the city, found everything just as he had told them, and prepared the Passover meal.
17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.
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After sunset he came with the Twelve.
18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."
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As they were at the supper table eating, Jesus said, "I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators, one who at this moment is eating with me."
19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, "Is it I?"
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Stunned, they started asking, one after another, "It isn't me, is it?"
20 He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.
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He said, "It's one of the Twelve, one who eats with me out of the same bowl.
21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."
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In one sense, it turns out that the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures - no surprises here. In another sense, the man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man - better never to have been born than do this!" "This Is My Body"
22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."
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In the course of their meal, having taken and blessed the bread, he broke it and gave it to them. Then he said, Take, this is my body.
23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.
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Taking the chalice, he gave it to them, thanking God, and they all drank from it.
24 And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
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He said, This is my blood, God's new covenant, Poured out for many people.
25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
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"I'll not be drinking wine again until the new day when I drink it in the kingdom of God."
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
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They sang a hymn and then went directly to Mount Olives.
27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'
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Jesus told them, "You're all going to feel that your world is falling apart and that it's my fault. There's a Scripture that says, I will strike the shepherd; The sheep will go helter-skelter.
28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."
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"But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you, leading the way to Galilee."
29 Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not."
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Peter blurted out, "Even if everyone else is ashamed of you when things fall to pieces, I won't be."
30 And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
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Jesus said, "Don't be so sure. Today, this very night in fact, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
31 But he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same.
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He blustered in protest, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you." All the others said the same thing.
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
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They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled.
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He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony.
34 And he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch."
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He told them, "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me."
35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
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Going a little ahead, he fell to the ground and prayed for a way out:
36 And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
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"Papa, Father, you can - can't you? - get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want - what do you want?"
37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?
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He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour?
38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
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Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don't be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire."
39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
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He then went back and prayed the same prayer.
40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.
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Returning, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn't keep their eyes open, and they didn't have a plausible excuse.
41 And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
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He came back a third time and said, "Are you going to sleep all night? No - you've slept long enough. Time's up. The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."
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Get up. Let's get going. My betrayer has arrived."
43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
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No sooner were the words out of his mouth when Judas, the one out of the Twelve, showed up, and with him a gang of ruffians, sent by the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders, brandishing swords and clubs.
44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard."
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The betrayer had worked out a signal with them: "The one I kiss, that's the one - seize him. Make sure he doesn't get away."
45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him.
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He went straight to Jesus and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.
46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.
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The others then grabbed him and roughed him up.
47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
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One of the men standing there unsheathed his sword, swung, and came down on the Chief Priest's servant, lopping off the man's ear.
48 And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?
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Jesus said to them, "What is this, coming after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal?
49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled."
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Day after day I've been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. What you in fact have done is confirm the prophetic writings."
50 And they all left him and fled.
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All the disciples cut and ran.
51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,
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A young man was following along. All he had on was a bedsheet. Some of the men grabbed him
52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
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but he got away, running off naked, leaving them holding the sheet.
53 And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
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They led Jesus to the Chief Priest, where the high priests, religious leaders, and scholars had gathered together.
54 And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.
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Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest's courtyard, where he mingled with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.
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The high priests conspiring with the Jewish Council looked high and low for evidence against Jesus by which they could sentence him to death. They found nothing.
56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.
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Plenty of people were willing to bring in false charges, but nothing added up, and they ended up canceling each other out.
57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,
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Then a few of them stood up and lied:
58 "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'"
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"We heard him say, 'I am going to tear down this Temple, built by hard labor, and in three days build another without lifting a hand.'"
59 Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.
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But even they couldn't agree exactly.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?"
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In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, "What do you have to say to the accusation?"
61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?"
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Jesus was silent. He said nothing. The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?"
62 And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."
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Jesus said, "Yes, I am, and you'll see it yourself: The Son of Man seated At the right hand of the Mighty One, Arriving on the clouds of heaven."
63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need?
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The Chief Priest lost his temper. Ripping his clothes, he yelled, "Did you hear that? After that do we need witnesses?
64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death.
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You heard the blasphemy. Are you going to stand for it?" They condemned him, one and all. The sentence: death.
65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him with blows.
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Some of them started spitting at him. They blindfolded his eyes, then hit him, saying, "Who hit you? Prophesy!" The guards, punching and slapping, took him away.
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came,
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While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest's servant girls came in
67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
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and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked hard at him and said, "You were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
68 But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed.
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He denied it: "I don't know what you're talking about." He went out on the porch. A rooster crowed.
69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them."
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The girl spotted him and began telling the people standing around, "He's one of them."
70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."
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He denied it again. After a little while, the bystanders brought it up again. "You've got to be one of them. You've got 'Galilean' written all over you."
71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak."
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Now Peter got really nervous and swore, "I never laid eyes on this man you're talking about."
72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.
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Just then the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered how Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." He collapsed in tears.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.