Self-interpreting Bible

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Matthew 26

1Christ again foretelleth his own death. 3The rulers conspire against him. 6A woman poureth precious ointment upon his head. 14Judas bargaineth to betray him. 17Christ eateth the passover, and pointeth out the traitor: 26he instituteth his last supper: 30foretelleth the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial of him. 36His agony and prayer in the garden. 47He is betrayed and apprehended. 51One of the servants of the high priest hath his ear cut off; Jesus forbiddeth opposition: 57he is carried to Caiaphas, falsely accused, examined, pronounced guilty, and treated with indignity. 69Peter's denial and repentance.

1 AND ait came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2 bYe know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

3 cThen assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the dpalace of the high priest, who was called eCaiaphas,

4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by *subtilty, and kill him.

  • *: subtilty-cunning.

5 But they said, fNot on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

6 ¶gNow when Jesus was in hBethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at *meat.

  • *: meat-food of any kind.

8 But when his disciples saw it, they had iindignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for jmuch, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, kWhy trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11 lFor ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it mfor my burial.

13 *Verily I say unto you, nWheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14 ¶oThen one of the twelve, called pJudas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of qsilver.

16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

    17 ¶rNow the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

    18 And he said, Go into the city sto such a man, and say unto him, tThe Master saith, uMy time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

    19 vAnd the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

    20 wNow when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

    21 And as they did eat, he said, *Verily I say unto you, that xone of you shall betray me.

    22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

      23 And he answered and said, yHe that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

      24 zThe Son of man goeth aas it is written of him: but bwoe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it chad been good for that man if he had not been born.

      25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, danswered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, eThou hast said.

      26 ¶fAnd as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and 1blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

      27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

        28 For this is my gblood of the new testament, which is shed for many hfor the *remission of sins.

        29 But I say unto you, I iwill not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you jin my Father's kingdom.

        30 And when they had sung an 2hymn, kthey went out into the mount of Olives.

        31 Then saith Jesus unto them, lAll ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, mI will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered *abroad.

        32 But after I am risen again, nI will go before you into Galilee.

        33 oPeter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

        34 Jesus said unto him, p*Verily I say unto thee, That this night, qbefore the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

        35 Peter said unto him, rThough I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. sLikewise also said all the disciples.

        36 ¶tThen cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

        37 uAnd he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be vsorrowful and very heavy.

        38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and wwatch with me.

        39 And he went a little further, and xfell on his face, and prayed, saying, yO my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

        40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

          41 zWatch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: athe spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

          42 bHe went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

          43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

            44 And he left them, and went away again, and cprayed the third time, saying the same words.

            45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, dSleep on now, and take your rest: ebehold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

            46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

              47 ¶And fwhile he yet spake, lo, gJudas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and *staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

              48 hNow he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

              49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

                50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and ilaid hands on Jesus, and took him.

                51 And, behold, jone of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew khis sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

                52 Then said Jesus unto him, lPut up again thy sword into his place: mfor all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

                53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and nhe shall *presently give me more than twelve *legions of angels?

                55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and *staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

                • *: staves-poles, staffs.

                56 But all this was done, pthat the scriptures of the prophets might be qfulfilled. rThen all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

                57 ¶sAnd they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to tCaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

                58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, uand sat with the servants, to see the end.

                59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, vsought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

                60 wBut found none: yea, though many xfalse witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

                61 And said, This fellow said, yI am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

                62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

                  63 But Jesus zheld his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I a*adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be bthe Christ, the Son of God.

                  64 Jesus saith unto him, cThou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, dHereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

                  65 eThen the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

                  66 What think ye? They answered and said, fHe is *guilty of death.

                  67 gThen did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with 3the palms of their hands,

                  68 hSaying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

                  69 ¶iNow Peter sat *without in the jpalace: and a *damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus kof Galilee.

                  70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

                    71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with lJesus of Nazareth.

                    72 And again he denied with an oath, mI do not know the man.

                    73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for nthy speech *bewrayeth thee.

                    74 oThen began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

                    75 And Peter premembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, qBefore the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. rAnd he went out, and wept bitterly.