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.