Matthew - Chapter 26

1 And it came to pass, that when Yeshua had finished all these sayings, he said to his talmidim: 2 "You know that after two days is Pesach; and the Son of Man will be betrayed to be crucified."

3 Then the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people gathered together at the court of the high priest, who was called Qeiafa. 4 And they took counsel concerning Yeshua, so that they might take arrest him by deceit and murder him. 5 And they were saying: "Not during the festival, in case disorder should take place among the people."

6 And when Yeshua was in Beit-Anya, in the house of Shimon the potter, 7 a woman approached him having an alabaster vase of ointment that was a very valuable perfume, and she poured it on the head of Yeshua as he was reclining. 8 And when his talmidim saw this they were not pleased, and said: "Why such waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a high price, and then could have been given to the poor." 10 But Yeshua knew this, and said to them: "Why are you upsetting her? The woman has done a good deed for me. 11 For you will always have the poor with you; but you will not always have me. 12 But this one act, pouring the perfume on my body, she has done so as if it were for my burial. 13 Truly I say to you, that wherever this my gospel is preached, in all the world, also this thing that she did will be told as a memorial to her."

14 Then one of the twelve, named Yudah Skariota, went to the chief priests, 15 and said to them: "What are you willing to give me, if I will deliver him to you?" And they promised him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from then on, he was seeking a chance to betray him.

17 And on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread*, the talmidim drew near to Yeshua, and said to him: "Where do you want us to prepare a place for you to have the seder?"* 18 And he said to them: "Go to the city, to a certain man, and say to him: 'Our Rabbi says: 'My time is arriving; I will keep Pesach with you my talmidim.''" 19 And his talmidim did as Yeshua directed them, and prepared for Pesach.

20 And when it was evening, he was reclining among his twelve talmidim. 21 And while they were eating, he said: "Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me." 22 And it made them very sad. And each of them began to say to him: "Mari, is it I?"* 23 And he answered and said: "He who dips his hand with me in the dish, that one will betray me. 24 And the Son of Man will go, as it is written concerning him. Woe to that man, by whose hand the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man, if he had not been born." 25 Yudah the betrayer answered and said: "Rabbi, is it I?" Yeshua said to him: "You have said it."

26 And while they were eating Yeshua took bread and blessed, and broke it; and gave to his talmidim, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body." 27 And he took the cup, and offered thanks and gave to them, saying: "Take, drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for the sake of many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, that I will not drink from this fruit of the vine, until the day in which I drink it with you anew in the Kingdom of God."

30 And they sang Hallel*, and went out to Har-Zeitim. 31 Then Yeshua said to them: "All of you will be offended by me in this night; for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of his flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I have risen, I will go before you into Galil." 33 Keipha answered, and said to him: "Even if everyone is offended by you, I will never be offended by you."

34 Yeshua said to him: "Truly I say to you, that in this night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." 35 Keipha said to him: "Even if I had to die with you, I would not deny you," and all the talmidim also said this.

36 Then Yeshua came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his talmidim: "Sit here, while I go pray." 37 And he took Keipha and the two sons of Zavddai, and began to be sorrowful and wearied. 38 And he said to them: "There is sadness in my soul, even to death. Wait with me here, and watch with me." 39 And he went a little ways, and fell upon his face, and prayed, and said: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass over me. However, not as I will, but as you will." 40 And he came to his talmidim, and found them while they were sleeping, and he said to Keipha: "So! were you not able to watch with me one hour? 41 Pay attention and pray, in case you fall into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the body is frail."

42 Again he went away the second time, and prayed, and said: "My Father, if it cannot be that this cup pass, except I drink it, your will be done." 43 And he came again and found them while they were sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

44 And he left them, and went away again and prayed for a third time, and he said the same words. 46 Then he came to his talmidim, and said to them: "Sleep for now, and take rest." And he approached them again a little while later and said to them: "Behold! The hour has arrived, and the Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise up! Let us go. Behold! He who has betrayed me has arrived."

47 And while he was speaking, behold, Yudah the betrayer, one of the twelve, arrived; and a large crowd was with him, with swords and clubs, before the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 And Yudah the betrayer had given them a sign, saying: "It is he whom I kiss; seize him." 49 And immediately he went to Yeshua, and said: "Shalom, Rabbi;" and kissed him. 50 And Yeshua said to him: "Is it for this reason you have come, my friend?" Then drawing near, they laid their hands on Yeshua, and seized him.

51 And behold, one of those who was with Yeshua stretched out his hand, and drew a sword, and attacked a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52 Then Yeshua said to him: "Return the sword to its place; for all those who take swords, shall die by swords. 53 Do you think that I am not able to ask my Father, and he raise up for me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that this is how it must be?"

55 At that time Yeshua said to the crowd: "Have you come out, as against a bandit, with swords and clubs, to arrest me? Everyday I was sitting with you and teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me." 56 But this has happened so that the writings of the Prophets might be fulfilled. Then all of the talmidim left him and fled.

57 And those who seized Yeshua led him to Qeiafa the high priest, where the scribes and elders were gathering together. 58 And Shimon Keipha followed after him from a distance up to the court of the high priest, and entered, and sat inside with the guards, that he might see the matter.

59 And the chief priests and the elders and the entire assembly were seeking after witnesses against Yeshua, so that they might murder him; 60 but they did not find any. And many false witnesses came; and finally, two came forward, 61 and said: "This man said: 'I am able to tear down the Temple of God, and in three days rebuild it.'" 62 And the high priest arose up and said to him: "Do you not have anything to answer to this matter these men have given witness to?"

63 But Yeshua was silent. And the high priest answered, and said to him: "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God." 64 Yeshua said to him: "You have said it. And I say to you, that from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming upon the clouds of heaven." 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said: "Behold, he has blasphemed! Why therefore do we need witnesses? Behold! You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is it that you want to do?" They answered and said: "He deserves death." 67 Then they began spitting in his face and striking at his head, while others were beating him, 68 and said to him: "Prophesy to us, Messiah, who is it that struck you?"

69 And Keipha was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a certain maid came up to him, and said to him: "You also were with Yeshua the Nasarean." 70 But he denied it before all of them, and said: "I do not know what you are saying." 71 And he went out to the portico, and another maid saw him, and said to the people: "There! That man was also with Yeshua the Nasarean." 72 And again he denied it, with oaths: "I do not know the man." 73 And after a little while, those who were standing there came up and said to Keipha: "Indeed, you were also with them; your dialect makes you known." 74 Then he began to curse and say: "I do not know the man." And in that hour the cock crowed. 75 And Keipha remembered the word of Yeshua, who said to him: "Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." And after he went outside, he condemned himself, and wept bitterly.