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Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,
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and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for
some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.
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Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.
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And Judas wenr to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard
and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.
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They were delighted and agreed to give him money.
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He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them
when no crowd was present.
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Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb
had to be sacrificed.
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Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us
to eat the Passover."
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"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.
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He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.
Follow him to the house that he enters,
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and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks:
Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
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He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."
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They left and found things just as Hesus had told them.
So they prepared the Passover.
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When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
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And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you
before I suffer.
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For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
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After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.
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For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of
God comes."
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And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
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In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
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But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.
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The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed,
but woe to that man who betrays him."
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They began to question among themselves which of them it might be
who would do this.
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Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
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Jesus said to them,
"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them;
and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.
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But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be
like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
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For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
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You are those who have stood by me in my trials.
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And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me,
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so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
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"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
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But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
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But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
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Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today,
you will deny three times that you know me."
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Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals,
did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.
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He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag;
and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.
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It is written:
'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must
be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
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The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.
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Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.
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On reaching the place, he said to them,
"Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
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He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
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"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
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An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
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And being in aguish, he prayed more earnestly,
and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
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When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples,
he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
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"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them.
"Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."
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While he was still speaking acrowd came up, and the man who was called Judas,
one of the Twelve, was leading them.He approached Jesus to kiss him,
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but Jesus asked him,
"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
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When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said,
"Lord, should we strike with our swords?"
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And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
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But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
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Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders,
who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords
and clubs?
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Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me.
But this is your hour - when darkness reigns."
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Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into
the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.
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But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard
and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them.
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A servant saw him seated there in the firelight.
She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with him."
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But he denied it. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
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A little later someone else saw him and said,
"You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" Peter replied.
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About an hour later another asserted,
"Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean."
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Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!"
Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.
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The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word
the Lord had spoken to him:
"Before the rooster crowes today, you will disown me three times."
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And he went outside and wept bitterly.
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The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him.
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They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?"
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And they said many other insulting things to him.
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At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priest
and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them.
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"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me,
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and if I asked you, you would not answer.
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But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of
the mighty God."
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They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."
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Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony?
We have heard it from his own ips."
