31Then saith Jesus unto them, Ye all will be offended at me this night: for it is written, “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” 32But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 33Then Peter, taking up the word, said to him, Though all should be offended at thee, yet will I never be offended. 34Jesus saith to him, I tell thee of a certainty, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35Peter said to him, Though I should die with thee, never will I deny thee. In like manner also said all the disciples. 36Then cometh Jesus with them to a place called Gethsemane, and saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be deeply sorrowful, and to be overwhelmed with dejection. 38Then saith he to them. My soul is exceeding sorrowful even to death: abide here, and watch with me. 39And going a little farther, he fell on his face, praying, and saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40And he cometh to the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and he saith to Peter, Is it so, that ye have not strength to watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak. 42Again the second time he went away, and prayed, saying, O my Father, If it be not possible, that this cup pass from me, but that I should drink it, thy will be done. 43And coming, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were weighed down. 44And leaving them, he went away again, and prayed the third time, repeating the same sentence. 45Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Do ye still sleep on, and repose yourselves? lo! the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Arise, let us go: lo! he that betrayeth me approaches.
47And while he was yet speaking, behold, Judas one of the twelve came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now he that betrayed him had given them a signal, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: seize him. 49And immediately approaching to Jesus, he said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50Then spake Jesus to him, Friend, for what purpose art thou here? Then approaching they laid hands on Jesus, and seized him.
51And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretching out his hand, drew his sword, and striking at a servant of the high-priest, cut off his ear. 52Then saith Jesus unto him, Return thy sword into its sheath: for all who take the sword, shall perish by the sword. 53Thinkest thou, that I cannot now entreat my Father, and he will give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber, with swords and staves to apprehend me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid not hold upon me. 56But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets should be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
57Then they who had apprehended Jesus, brought him to Caiaphas the high-priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed him at a great distance unto the palace of the high-priest, and entering in, sat down with the servants, to see the issue. 59Now the chief priests and elders and the whole sanhedrim, sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; 60and found none: and though many false witnesses came, they found it not sufficient. But at the last two false witnesses stepping forth, 61said, This fellow said, I am able to pull down the temple of God, and to build it up in three days. 62And the high-priest rising up, said to him, Answerest thou nothing? what do these men witness against thee? 63But Jesus was silent. And the high-priest addressing him, said, I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou tell us, if thou art the Messiah, the Son of God. 64Jesus saith to him, Thou hast spoken the fact. Moreover I tell you, hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying, he hath blasphemed: what farther need have we of witnesses? lo! now ye have heard his blasphemy: 66what think ye? They answered and said, He is deserving of death. 67Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him about; and some slapt his face with their hands, 68saying, Prophesy to us, you Messiah, who it is that struck thee!
69Now Peter sat without in the hall: and there came to him a single maid-servant, saying, Thou also wert with Jesus of Galilee. 70But he denied it before them all, asserting, I know not what thou art saying. 71Then as he was going out at the gate, another maid-servant saw him, and saith to those who were there, This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth. 72Then again he denied with an oath, I know not the man. 73But after a little while they who stood by, came up and said to Peter, Assuredly thou also art one of them: for even thy speech maketh thee manifest. 74Then began he to utter the bitterest curses, and to swear, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said unto him, Before the cock shall crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And going out, he wept bitterly.
[CHAP. XXVII.]
NOW when the morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus how they might put him to death. 2And having bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3Then Judas who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting, carried back the thirty silver pieces to the chief priests and the elders, 4saying, I have sinned, in betraying innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And throwing down the silver pieces in the temple, he departed; and going out, hanged himself. 6Then the chief priests taking up the silver pieces, said, It is not lawful to put them to the treasure destined for sacred uses, because it is the price of blood. 7So taking counsel, they bought with them a potter’s field, as a burial-place for strangers. 8Therefore is that field called, The field of blood unto this day. 9Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty silver pieces, the price of him who had been estimated at that rate, whom they of the children of Israel did value: 10and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had ordered me.
11Then was Jesus placed before the governor, and the governor interrogated him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? Then Jesus replied to him, Thou sayest true. 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he made no reply. 13Then saith Pilate to him, Hearest thou not how many things they testify against thee? 14And he made him no reply, no not to a single word: so that the governor marvelled exceedingly. 15Now at the feast, the governor had been accustomed to release one prisoner to the people, whomsoever they chose. 16And they had at that time a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17Being therefore gathered around him, Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah? 18For he knew that out of envy they had delivered him up.
19Then, as he was sitting on the tribunal, his wife sent a message to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous person; for I have suffered much to-day in a dream on his account. 20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the populace that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21The governor repeating the question, said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas. 22Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah? They all say to him, Let him be crucified. 23The governor replied, But what evil hath he done? They cried out with greater vehemence, saying, Let him be crucified. 24When Pilate saw that it was of no use to contend, but that rather a tumult was rising, he took water, and washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: ye must answer for it. 25Then all the people answering said, His blood be on us, and on our children.