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1It was now two days before 2the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes 3were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,
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for they said, "Not during the feast, 4lest there be an uproar from the people."
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5And while he was at 6Bethany 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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There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that?
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For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and 7given to the poor." And they 8scolded her.
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But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
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For 9you always have the poor with you, and whenever 10you want, you can do good for them. But 11you will not always have me.
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12She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand 13for burial.
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And truly, I say to you, wherever 14the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told 15in memory of her."
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16Then 17Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, 18went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.
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And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to 19betray him.
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20And on 21the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they 22sacrificed 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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And he sent 23two 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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and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 24'The Teacher says, Where is 25my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
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And he will show you 26a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us."
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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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27And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.
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And as they were reclining at table and eating, 28Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, 29one who is eating with me."
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They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, "Is it I?"
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He said to them, "It is 30one of the twelve, 31one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.
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For the Son of Man goes 32as it is written of him, but 33woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! 34It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."
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35And as they were eating, he took bread, and after 36blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; 37this is my body."
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And he took a cup, and when he had 38given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.
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And he said to them, 39"This is my 40blood of the covenant, which is poured out for 41many.
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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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42And when they had sung a hymn, 43they went out to 44the Mount of Olives.
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And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will 45strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'
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But after I am raised up, 46I will go before you to Galilee."
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47Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not."
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And 48Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before 49the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
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But 50he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same.
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51And they went 52to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
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And he took with him 53Peter and James and John, and began 54to be greatly distressed and troubled.
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And he said to them, 55"My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and 56watch."
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And going a little farther, he fell on the ground 57and prayed that, if it were possible, 58the hour might pass from him.
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And he said, 59"Abba, Father, 60all things are possible for you. Remove 61this cup from me. 62Yet not what I will, but what you will."
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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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63Watch and 64pray that you may not 65enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
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And again he went away and prayed, 66saying the same words.
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And again he came and found them sleeping, for 67their eyes were very heavy, and 68they did not know what to answer him.
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And he came the third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? 69It is enough; 70the hour has come. 71The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
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Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."
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72And immediately, while he was still speaking, 73Judas 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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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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And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, 74"Rabbi!" And he 75kissed him.
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And they laid hands on him and seized him.
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But one of those who stood by drew his 76sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
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And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me?
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77Day after day I was with you in the temple 78teaching, and you did not seize me. But 79let the Scriptures be fulfilled."
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80And they all left him and fled.
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And a young man followed him, with nothing but 81a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,
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but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.
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82And 83they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
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84And 85Peter had followed him at a distance, 86right into 87the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with 88the guards and 89warming himself at the fire.
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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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90For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony 91did not agree.
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And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,
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92"We heard him say, 93'I will destroy this temple 94that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, 95not made with hands.'"
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Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.
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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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But 96he remained silent and made no answer. 97Again the high priest asked him, "Are you 98the Christ, the Son of 99the Blessed?"
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And Jesus said, "I am, and 100you will see the Son of Man 101seated at the right hand of Power, and 102coming with the clouds of heaven."
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And the high priest 103tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need?
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You have heard 104his blasphemy. What is your decision?" And they 105all condemned him as 106deserving death.
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107And some began 108to spit on him and 109to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, "Prophesy!" And the guards received him 110with blows.
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111And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came,
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and seeing Peter 112warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."
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But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." And he went out into the gateway and 113the rooster crowed.
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And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, "This man is one of them."
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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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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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And immediately the rooster crowed 114a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, 115"Before the rooster crows twice, you will 116deny me three times." And he broke down and wept.