Matthew 26
1 When Jesus had finished with all these sayings, he told his students, 2 “You know that in two days, Passover is happening, but the Son of Humanity is also being handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the lead priests and the elders of the people met together in the courtyard of the high priest named Caiaphas, 4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus by deception and kill him. 5 However, “Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be outrage among the people.”
6 When Jesus was in Bethany at Simeon’s house (the one who had leprosy), 7 a woman went up to him holding an alabaster jar of very expensive, perfumed oil,a and she poured it over his head while he was reclining at the table. 8 When the students saw it, they were indignant and spoke out, “Why this waste? 9 This could have been sold for a high price to be given to people in poverty!”
10 Aware of this, Jesus challenged them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She did something beautiful for me. 11 You see, you will always have people in poverty with you, but you won’t always have me. 12 When she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Honestly, I’m telling you, wherever the triumphant messageb is announced throughout the whole world, what she did will also be told in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judah, “Man of Kerioth,”c went over to the lead priests 15 and said, “What will you give me to hand him over to you?” So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 16 From then on, he began looking for an opportunity to hand him over.
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the students came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
18 “Go into the city,” he answered, “to such-and-such a person,d and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My time is almost here. My students and I are observing the Passover with you.”’” 19 So the students did as Jesus arranged for them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 In the evening, he reclined at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “Honestly, I’m telling you, one of you will hand me over,” 22 and they were extremely upset.
They each began to say, “Certainly not I, Lord?”
23 So he answered, “The one who has dippede his hand in the bowl with me is the one who will hand me over. 24 Honestly, the Son of Humanity will go just as it has been written about him—but that person who because of them the Son of Humanity is handed over had better watch out! It would been better for that person if they had not been born.”
25 Then Judah, who was turning him in, said, “Certainly not I, Rabbi?”f
“If you say so,”g Jesus answered.
26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after he spoke praise, he broke it. After giving it to the students, he said, “Here, eat this. This is my body.” 27 Then after he took the cup and gave thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Everyone drink from it, 28 because this is my covenant blood,h which is poured out for manyi for liberation from deviations.j 29 But I’m telling you, I won’t drink of the fruit of the vine at all from now until that day when I can drink it new with you in my Father’s Reign.” 30 Then after they sang praise,k they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus told them, “You will all trip over an obstacle regarding me tonight since it’s been written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of his flock will be scattered.’l 32 But after I am raised up,m I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
33 “Even if everyone else trips over an obstacle regarding you,” Peter answered, “I will never be trip over that obstacle!”
34 “Honestly,” Jesus told him, “I’m telling you, tonight before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.
35 “Even if it means I have to die with you,” Peter said to him, “I absolutely will not disown you!” And all the students said the same thing.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he told the students, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He had Peter and the two sons of Zebedeen come with him, and he began to heartbroken and anguished.
38 Then he said to them, “My whole being is overwhelmed with grief as intense as death. Stay awake and be here with me.”
39 After he went off a little way, he collapsed with his face to the ground, and he prayed, “My Father, if it’s possible, let this cup pass over from me!o Except not as I want but as you want.”
40 He went to the students and found them asleep, and he said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me like this for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray so that you won’t be tested.p Truly, the life-breath is willing, but the body is fatigued.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it’s not possible for this to pass over unless I drink it,q may your intention come to pass.”
43 He went and—again—he found them asleep since their eyes were heavy. 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same idea again.
45 Then he went to the students and said to them, “You’ve slept and rested all the time that was left. Look! The time is almost here, and the Son of Humanity is being handed over into the hands of those who deviate. 46 Wake up! Let’s go! Look! The one who’s handing me over is almost here.”
47 While he was still speaking—significantly—Judah, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large group with short swords and clubs who were from the lead priests and the elders of the people.
48 The one handing him over had prepared a signal with them, saying, “He is the one I kiss.”r 49 He immediately went up to Jesus and said, “Hello,s Rabbi,” and he kissed him repeatedly.
50 “My friend,” Jesus said to him, “do what you’re here to do.” Then they went up and grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 Suddenly, one of the people with Jesus reached out, drawing his short sword and striking a man enslaved to the high priest,t severing his ear.
52 “Put your sword away where it goes!” Jesus told him. “Everyone who picks up the sword will be destroyedu by the sword. 53 Or don’t you think I can call on my Father and that he would send me more than twelve legionsv of messengers right now? 54 But then how would the scriptures showing it’s necessary for it to happen this way be carried out?”w
55 Right then, Jesus said to the squad, “Why did you come out with swords and clubs to capture me as if I were an insurrectionist?x For days, I’ve been sitting in the sacred grounds teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. 56 But this whole thing happened so that the writings of the Prophetsy would be lived out.” Then all the students abandoned him and ran away.
57 The ones who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, and the Bible scholars and the elders of the people had gathered there. 58 Meanwhile, Peter was following him from a distance all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. He went inside and sat with the officersz to see how it would end.
59 The lead priests and the whole Sanhedrin were searching for deceptive testimony against Jesus, so they could have him executed, 60 but despite many people coming forward and testifying falsely, they did not find anything. Finally, two people came forward 61 and stated, “This man has been claiming, “I’m able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.”
62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Don’t you have a response? What are these people testifying against you?”
63 But Jesus was silent.
So, the high priest told him, “I order you to tell us, under oath by the God who is alive, that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.aa
64 “If you say so,”bb Jesus told him. “However, I do say this to you: From now on, you will see the Son of Humanity sitting at the right handcc of Powerdd and approaching in the clouds of the heavens.”ee
65 Then the high priest tore apart his clothes and declared, “He spoke disrespectfully about God!ff Do we still need witnesses? See, you’ve heard the disrespect. 66 What do you think?”
“He deserves death,” they answered. 67 Then they spat in his face, punched him, and slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy for us, Messiah! Who hit you?”
69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a girl who was enslaved theregg went up to him and said, “You were also with Jesus of Galilee.”
70 But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
71 So he went out to the gateway, but someone saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again, he denied it, swearing on oath, “I haven’t met that person!”
73 After a little while, the people standing nearby went up to Peter and said, “Clearly, you’re one of them too. Your accent makes it obvious.”
74 Then he began to curse at them, and he swore on oath, “I have not met that person!” Immediately, a rooster crowed, 75 and Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “You will disown me three times before the rooster crows.” So, he went outside and sobbed with grief.
FOOTNOTES:
a Sometimes translations use ‘myrrh’ here, but though the Greek word muron is the root of the English ‘myrrh,’ it is a more general term for perfumed oil, and it’s a different word than is used for ‘myrrh’ in Matthew 2:11, which is smurna.
b Traditionally, ‘gospel’ or ‘good news.’ The word ‘gospel’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, which means ‘good story.’ The Greek euangelion literally means ‘good message’ and was used specifically of a message announced publicly, which fits the use of the word ‘news.’ The historical context comes from when rulers and military leaders returned to a city after victory in battle, and a herald would be sent ahead to announce the victory and the ruler’s impending arrival. The writers of the Bible took this word and applied it to Jesus’ victory of a different kind. The use of “triumphant message’ here is intended to communicate the full meaning of the word in context and not the narrow dictionary definition.
c Traditionally, ‘Iscariot.’ It was likely a label and not his name, however. It means ‘men of Kerioth’ which was a city of Moab that was condemned for its actions against Israel, and it was likely used as a label regarding his betrayal of Jesus. See Jeremiah 48:21-47 (especially verses 21-27).
d The word deina is often translated as ‘a certain man/one’ and means that a specific person was in mind, but the name isn’t specified. It’s from the root for ‘fearful,’ so the most accurate way to capture the idea might be ‘I’m afraid I don’t remember their name.’ A similar occurrence is well known in Ruth 4:1, though the word in the Greek translation of Ruth is not the same one used here. One hypothesis could be that the writer didn’t remember the name when they wrote it down, which would have been decades later, not necessarily that Jesus didn’t say the name.
e This is a different but related word to the Greek for ‘immerse’ or ‘baptize,’ baptizo. This has the prefix em- attached, and the suffix -izo removed: embapto.
f See Matthew 23:7.
g Jesus uses the phrase su eipas in critical conversations with figures like Judas, the high priest, and Pilate (Matthew 26:25, 26:64, 27:11). Translated here as "If you say so," the phrase is a Greek expression that indirectly reflects the speaker's words without direct affirmation or denial. Jesus’ choice of this response subtly shifts responsibility back to the questioner, often signaling both acknowledgment and reservation. Rather than confirming, Jesus lets their words "stand" on their own.
h The phrase "covenant blood" refers to an ancient, sacred promise or agreement (covenant) made between God and humanity, with "blood" symbolizing a binding commitment. In Jewish tradition, covenants were solemnized with sacrificial blood to mark the seriousness of the relationship between God and the people. This symbolized life and loyalty to the covenant’s terms. Jesus speaks of his own covenant blood, indicating that his coming sacrifice would establish a new, unbreakable relationship with God based on release and liberation from deviation. This expression, therefore, ties Jesus’ life and sacrifice to the divine commitment of reconciliation and restoration for all.
i While this word literally means ‘many,’ it was frequently used synonymously with ‘all,’ indicating that the intended group was so large that it encompassed everyone. Romans 5 parallels those terms repeatedly in a way that clearly uses them interchangeably.
j Traditionally translated as "for the forgiveness of sins," the term "forgiveness" here comes from the Greek word aphesin, which encompasses meanings such as "send away," "release," "forgive (debt)," and "liberate." Given the context of Jesus leading his disciples in a Passover celebration—commemorating Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12)—the concept of "liberation" is particularly resonant. This suggests that Jesus is framing his message around the theme of freedom from captivity and oppression. Two key Hebrew Bible references enrich this understanding: Isaiah 51:16-23 and Jeremiah 31:1-40. Isaiah 51 depicts the consequences of straying from God’s path as a cup of wine symbolizing oppression, with the promise that this cup will be taken away, signifying an end to suffering and the restoration of justice. Similarly, Jeremiah 31 speaks of a "new covenant" wherein God promises to restore the people of Israel from the consequences of their collective failures—such as exile and subjugation—by renewing their hearts and relationship with Him (Jeremiah 31:33). This new covenant involves internalizing God’s teachings and reflects a profound restoration of the community’s wellbeing. Therefore, "for the forgiveness of sins" can be understood as a declaration of release from the effects of injustice and a return to a state of communal and spiritual health, grounded in a renewed commitment to God’s guidance. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative where "forgiveness" is not merely individual pardon but the holistic restoration of a people to right relationship with God and each other.
k This verb is where we get the word ‘hymn.’ It is humneo and means ‘to sing praise of.’ The practice of singing Psalms 113-118, known as the "Hallel Psalms," at Passover is rooted in ancient Jewish tradition. These psalms, specifically called the "Egyptian Hallel" because they celebrate the liberation of Israel from Egypt, were recited as early as the time of the Second Temple, around 516 BCE to 70 CE. By the first century, they were incorporated into the Passover liturgy, with Psalms 113-114 sung before the meal and Psalms 115-118 after, marking both the religious and historical significance of the exodus story. Jesus and his students may have sung these together.
l Reference to Zechariah 13:7 and possibly Jeremiah 24:1-8, though it seems to be a paraphrase and not a direct quotation.
m This is a counterpart to the euphemism of ‘falling asleep’ to mean ‘dying.’ Literally, it means to ‘wake up’ or ‘get up’ and is often used of people standing when they were lying down or waking up when they were literally sleeping. Also, see Isaiah 26:7-21 (especially verse 19).
n John and Jacob (traditionally, James)
o Jesus, even in his anguish, is referencing scripture: Isaiah 51:16-23.
p Literally, ‘enter testing’ or ‘go into a test’
q Jesus seems to think Isaiah 51:22 happening for God’s people requires him to take it on himself.
r The word is phileo, which literally means ‘love’ or ‘have affection for’ or ‘be attached to’ and can also be used to mean ‘kiss’ as a way to demonstrate affection (though not only romantic or sexual affection as in American culture, but also in friendship or familial affection). It was a common cultural practice for students to kiss their teachers in greeting.
s The word is chaire, which was the word for greeting people. It literally means ‘rejoice’ much like in Hebrew people say shalom as a greeting which means ‘peace’ or ‘wellbeing.’
t Compare to Leviticus 25:42
u Or ‘will die’
v A military unit that consisted of several thousand soldiers. It seems to be a reference to 1 Chronicles 27:1-5 in which David had twelve divisions of troops (24,000 each) to serve him, one for each month.
w Traditionally, ‘fulfilled.’ It could be translated as something like ‘given a fuller meaning.’ It literally means ‘filled full.’ Much like ‘order fulfillment’ when purchasing an order to be delivered, it means to act on something and bring it to reality in a new way.
x Although lēstēs is often translated as "robber" or "bandit," it had a broader meaning in the first century, commonly applied to violent rebels or those perceived as threats to public order. This word was used by the Roman authorities to label those who engaged in revolutionary or rebellious acts against the Empire, including leaders and participants in resistance movements.
y This word “Prophets” refers to the second of three sections of the Hebrew Bible which includes Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Many examples and discussion of people speaking and living God’s instructions being arrested and persecuted by the authorities exist in those books.
z This refers to the servants/guards of the high priest who would have been part of the squad sent to arrest Jesus.
aa In the cultural context, these would have been two unrelated titles, but put together, they had significant and dangerous political ramifications. ‘Messiah/Christ/Anointed One’ meant the God-ordained and rightful heir to the throne of Israel and Judah, which most would have assumed meant Jesus was planning a revolution to overthrow the Roman-appointed government over Judea and possibly Samaria and Galilee as well. “The Son of God” was a nickname for the emperor, a title taken on originally by Augustus Caesar, the son of Julius Caesar who was worshiped as divine, and was then used by each subsequent Caesar. See Matthew 16:16. The high priest uses the title ‘God who is alive” for the second time in Matthew. The first time was also in the same sentence as someone calling Jesus both Messiah and Son of God, and it’s only the fourth time “Son of God” has been used (Matthew 8:29, 14:32, and 16:16).
bb Jesus uses the phrase su eipas in critical conversations with figures like Judas, the high priest, and Pilate (Matthew 26:25, 26:64, 27:11). Translated here as "If you say so," the phrase is a Greek expression that indirectly reflects the speaker's words without direct affirmation or denial. Jesus’ choice of this response subtly shifts responsibility back to the questioner, often signaling both acknowledgment and reservation. Rather than confirming, Jesus lets their words "stand" on their own.
cc Reference to Psalm 110:1
dd It was a cultural custom to refer to God as ‘Power’ at times.
ee Reference to Daniel 7:13. See Matthew 24:30.
ff To speak slanderously or belittlingly about God was written as a capital offense in Leviticus 24:15-16. Jesus’ reference to “Power” as a name of God when the religious authorities saw him as being against God was enough for them to condemn him on grounds of ‘cursing,’ ‘defaming,’ or ‘disrespecting’ God. It’s certainly a stretch, but they were looking for any excuse they could find.
gg This is the high priest’s home, so she most likely would have been enslaved to the high priest.