Study Desk

^(C1)When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

"^(C1)You know that after two days ^(C2)the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be ^(C3)handed over for crucifixion."

^(C1)At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in ^(C2)the courtyard of the high priest named ^(C3)Caiaphas;

and they ^(C1)plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.

But they were saying, "Not during the festival, ^(C1)otherwise a riot might occur among the people."

^(C1)Now when Jesus was in ^(C2)Bethany, at the home of Simon ^(F1)the Leper,

^(C1)a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table.

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

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

But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me.

"For you always have ^(C1)the poor with you; but you do not always have Me.

"For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it ^(C1)to prepare Me for burial.

"Truly I say to you, ^(C1)wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her."

^(C1)Then one of the twelve, named ^(C2)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

and said, "What are you willing to give me ^(F1)to ^(F2)(C1)betray Him to you?" And ^(C2)they set out for him thirty ^(F3)pieces of silver.

And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to ^(F1)betray ^(F2)Jesus.

^(C1)Now on the first day of ^(F1)(C2)Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and ^(F2)asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

And He said, "Go into the city to ^(C1)a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "^(C2)My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

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

^(C1)Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the ^(F1)twelve.

And as they were eating, He said, "^(C1)Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: "Surely it is not I, Lord?"

And He answered, "^(C1)He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.

"The Son of Man is going away ^(C1)just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(C2)It would have been good ^(F1)for that man if he had not been born."

And ^(C1)Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, ^(C2)Rabbi?" Jesus ^(*)said to him, "^(C3)You have said it yourself."

^(C1)Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and ^(F1)(C2)after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;

for ^(C1)this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for ^(C2)many for forgiveness of sins.

"But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father's kingdom."

^(C1)And after singing a ^(F1)hymn, they went out to ^(C2)the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus ^(*)said to them, "You will all ^(F1)(C1)fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: '^(C2)I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE ^(C3)SCATTERED.'

"But after I have been raised, ^(C1)I will go ahead of you to Galilee."

But Peter replied to Him, "Even if they all ^(F1)fall away because of You, I will never fall away!"

Jesus said to him, "^(C1)Truly I say to you that ^(C2)this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."

Peter ^(*)said to Him, "^(C1)Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" All the disciples said the same thing as well.

^(C1)Then Jesus ^(*)came with them to a place called ^(F1)(C2)Gethsemane, and ^(*)told His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

And He took ^(C1)Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed.

Then He ^(*)said to them, "^(C1)My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and ^(C2)keep watch with Me."

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let ^(C1)this cup pass from Me; ^(C2)yet not as I will, but as You will."

And He ^(*)came to the disciples and ^(*)found them sleeping, and He ^(*)said to Peter, "So, you men could not ^(C1)keep watch with Me for one hour?

"^(C1)Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; ^(C2)the spirit is ^(F1)willing, but the flesh is weak."

He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cup ^(C1)cannot pass away unless I drink from it, ^(C2)Your will be done."

Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

Then He ^(*)came to the disciples and ^(*)said to them, "^(F1)Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, ^(C1)the hour ^(F2)is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

"Get up, let's go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!"

^(C1)And while He was still speaking, behold, ^(C2)Judas, one of the twelve, came ^(F1)accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him."

And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, ^(C1)Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

But Jesus said to him, "^(C1)Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

And behold, ^(C1)one of those who were with Jesus ^(F1)reached and drew his ^(C2)sword, and struck the ^(C1)slave of the high priest and ^(F2)cut off his ear.

Then Jesus ^(*)said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for ^(C1)all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.

"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve ^(F1)(C1)legions of ^(C2)angels?

"How then would ^(C1)the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"

At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? ^(C1)Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me.

"But all this has taken place so that ^(C1)the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

^(C1)Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to ^(C2)Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.

But ^(C1)Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the ^(C2)courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the ^(F1)(C3)officers to see the outcome.

Now the chief priests and the entire ^(F1)(C1)Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.

They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on ^(C1)two came forward,

and said, "This man stated, '^(C1)I am able to destroy the ^(F1)temple of God and to rebuild it ^(F2)in three days.'"

The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You offer no answer for what these men are testifying against You?"

But ^(C1)Jesus kept silent. ^(C2)And the high priest said to Him, "I ^(C3)place You under oath by ^(C4)the living God, to tell us whether You are the ^(F1)Christ, ^(C5)the Son of God."

Jesus ^(*)said to him, "^(C1)You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see ^(C2)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and ^(C3)coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest ^(C1)tore his ^(F1)robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy;

what do you think?" They answered, "^(C1)He deserves death!"

^(C1)Then they ^(C2)spit in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others ^(F1)slapped Him,

and said, "^(C1)Prophesy to us, You ^(F1)Christ; who is the one who hit You?"

^(C1)Now Peter was sitting outside in the ^(C2)courtyard, and a slave woman came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean."

But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about."

When he had gone out to the gateway, another slave woman saw him and ^(*)said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

And again he denied it, with an oath: "I do not know the man."

A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "You really are one of them as well, ^(C1)since even the way you talk ^(F1)gives you away."

Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the Man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.

And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had ^(F1)made: "^(C1)Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

^(C1)Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death;

and they bound Him and led Him away, and ^(C1)handed Him over to ^(C2)Pilate the governor.

Then when ^(C1)Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned ^(C2)the thirty ^(F1)pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? ^(C1)You shall see to it yourself!"

And he threw the pieces of silver into ^(C1)the temple sanctuary and left; and ^(C2)he went away and hanged himself.

The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them in the temple treasury, since it is money paid for blood."

And they conferred together and ^(F1)with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers.

^(C1)For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "^(C1)AND ^(F1)THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel;

^(C1)AND ^(F1)THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER'S FIELD, JUST AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME."

^(C1)Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, "So You are the ^(C2)King of the Jews?" And Jesus said to him, "^(C3)It is as you say."

And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, ^(C1)He did not offer any answer.

Then Pilate ^(*)said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they are testifying against You?"

And still ^(C1)He did not answer him in regard to even a single ^(F1)charge, so the governor was greatly amazed.

^(C1)Now at the Passover Feast the governor was accustomed to release for the ^(F1)people any one prisoner whom they wanted.

And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus ^(C1)who is called Christ?"

For he knew that it was because of envy that ^(F1)they had handed Him over.

And ^(C1)while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, "See that you have nothing to do with that ^(C2)righteous Man; for ^(F1)last night I suffered greatly ^(C3)in a dream because of Him."

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ^(C1)ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death.

And the governor ^(F1)said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."

Pilate ^(*)said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus ^(C1)who is called Christ?" They all ^(*)said, "^(F1)Crucify Him!"

But he said, "Why, what evil has He done?" Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, "^(F1)Crucify Him!"

Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that ^(C1)a riot was starting, he took water and ^(C2)washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of ^(C3)this Man's blood; ^(C4)you yourselves shall see."

And all the people replied, "^(C1)His blood shall be on us and on our children!"

Then he released Barabbas ^(F1)for them; but after having Jesus ^(C1)flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

^(C1)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into ^(C2)the ^(F1)Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman ^(F2)(C3)cohort to Him.

And they stripped Him and ^(C1)put a red ^(F1)cloak on Him.

^(C1)And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a ^(F1)reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "^(C2)Hail, King of the Jews!"

And ^(C1)they spit on Him, and took the reed and beat Him on the head.

^(C1)And after they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

^(C1)As they were coming out, they found a man of ^(C2)Cyrene named Simon, ^(F1)whom they compelled to carry His ^(F2)cross.

^(C1)And when they came to a place called ^(C2)Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull,

^(C1)they gave Him ^(C2)wine mixed with ^(F1)bile to drink; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink it.

And when they had crucified Him, ^(C1)they divided His garments among themselves by casting ^(F1)lots.

And sitting down, they began to ^(C1)keep watch over Him there.

And above His head they put up the charge against Him ^(F1)which read, "^(C1)THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

At that time two ^(F1)rebels ^(*)were being crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.

And those passing by were ^(F1)speaking abusively to Him, ^(C1)shaking their heads,

and saying, "^(C1)You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! ^(C2)If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."

In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,

"^(C1)He saved others; ^(F1)He cannot save Himself! ^(C2)He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

"^(C1)HE HAS TRUSTED IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE ^(F1)TAKES PLEASURE IN HIM; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

^(C1)And the ^(F1)rebels who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him in the same way.

^(C1)Now from the ^(F1)sixth hour darkness ^(F2)fell upon all the land until the ^(F3)ninth hour.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "^(C1)ELI, ELI, LEMA SABAKTANEI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, said, "This man is calling for Elijah."

And ^(C1)immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

But the rest of them said, "^(F1)Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him^(F2)."

And Jesus ^(C1)cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.

^(C1)And behold, ^(C2)the ^(F1)veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and ^(C3)the earth shook and the rocks were split.

Also the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the ^(F1)saints who had ^(C1)fallen asleep were raised;

and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered ^(C1)the holy city and appeared to many.

^(C1)Now as for the centurion and those who were with him ^(C2)keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw ^(C3)the earthquake and the other things that were happening, they became extremely frightened and said, "Truly this was ^(F1)(C4)the Son of God!"

^(C1)And many women were there watching from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ^(C2)caring for Him.

Among them were ^(C1)Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and ^(C2)the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

^(C1)Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea came, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock; and he rolled ^(C1)a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.

And ^(C1)Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Now on the next day, that is, the day which is after ^(C1)the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,

and they said, "Sir, we remember that when that deceiver was still alive, He said, '^(C1)After three days I am rising.'

"Therefore, give orders for the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first."

Pilate said to them, "You have a ^(C1)guard; go, make it as secure as you know how."

And they went and made the tomb secure with ^(C1)the guard, ^(C2)sealing ^(C3)the stone.

^(C1)Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, ^(C2)Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the tomb.

And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for ^(C1)an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away ^(C2)the stone, and sat upon it.

And ^(C1)his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

The guards shook from fear of him and became like dead men.

And the angel said to the women, "^(F1)(C1)Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

"He is not here, for He has risen, ^(C1)just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

"And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you ^(C1)to Galilee. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples.

And behold, Jesus met them ^(F1)and said, "^(F2)Rejoice!" And they came up and took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him.

Then Jesus ^(*)said to them, "^(F1)(C1)Do not be afraid; go, bring word to ^(C2)My brothers to leave ^(C3)for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Now while they were on their way, some of ^(C1)the men from the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him while we were asleep.'

"And if this comes to ^(C1)the governor's ears, we will appease him and ^(F1)keep you out of trouble."

And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely ^(C1)spread among the Jews and is ^(C2)to this day.

But the eleven disciples proceeded ^(C1)to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them.

And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but ^(C1)some ^(F1)were doubtful.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "^(C1)All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

"^(F1)(C1)Go, therefore, and ^(C2)make disciples of ^(C3)all the nations, ^(C4)baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to ^(F1)follow all that I commanded you; and behold, ^(C1)I am with you ^(F2)always, to ^(C2)the end of the age."