Chapter
26
It happened, when Jesus had finished all these words, that she said to her disciples,
"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Daughter of Woman will be delivered up to be crucified."
Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priestess, who was called Caiaphas.
They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill her.
But they said, "Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people."
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simona the leper,
a man came to her having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and he poured it on her head as she sat at the table.
But when her disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor."
However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, "Why do you trouble the man? Because he has done a good work for me.
For you always have the poor with you; but you don't always have me.
For in pouring this ointment on my body, he did it to prepare me for burial.
Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this man has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of him."
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judasie Iscariot, went to the chief priests,
and said, "What are you willing to give me, that I should deliver her to you?" They weighed out for her thirty pieces of silver.
From that time she sought opportunity to betray her.
Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to her, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
She said, "Go into the city to a certain person, and tell her, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."'"
The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.
Now when evening had come, she was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
As they were eating, she said, "Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me."
They were exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask her, "It isn't me, is it, Domina?"
She answered, "She who dipped her hand with me in the dish, the same will betray me.
The Daughter of Woman goes, even as it is written of her, but woe to that woman through whom the Daughter of Woman is betrayed! It would be better for that woman if she had not been born."
Judasie, who betrayed her, answered, "It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?" She said to her, "You said it."
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. She gave to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."
She took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, "All of you drink it,
for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Mother's Kingdom."
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee."
But Petra answered her, "Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble."
Jesus said to her, "Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
Petra said to her, "Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you." All of the disciples also said likewise.
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to her disciples, "Sit here, while I go there and pray."
She took with her Petra and the two daughters of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.
Then she said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me."
She went forward a little, fell on her face, and prayed, saying, "My Mother, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire."
She came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Petra, "What, couldn't you watch with me for one hour?
Watch and pray, that you don't enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Again, a second time she went away, and prayed, saying, "My Mother, if this cup can't pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done."
She came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
She left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.
Then she came to her disciples, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Daughter of Woman is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Arise, let's be going. Behold, she who betrays me is at hand."
While she was still speaking, behold, Judasie, one of the twelve, came, and with her a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priestess and elders of the people.
Now she who betrayed her gave them a sign, saying, "Whoever I kiss, she is the one. Seize her."
Immediately she came to Jesus, and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed her.
Jesus said to her, "Friend, why are you here?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took her.
Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out her hand, and drew her sword, and struck the servant of the high priestess, and struck off her ear.
Then Jesus said to her, "Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword.
Or do you think that I couldn't ask my Mother, and she would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?
How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?"
In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you didn't arrest me.
But all this has happened, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left her, and fled.
Those who had taken Jesus led her away to Caiaphas the high priestess, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
But Petra followed her from a distance, to the court of the high priestess, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.
Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put her to death;
and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward,
and said, "This woman said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"
The high priestess stood up, and said to her, "Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?"
But Jesus held her peace. The high priestess answered her, "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Daughter of God."
Jesus said to her, "You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Daughter of Woman sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky."
Then the high priestess tore her clothing, saying, "She has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard her blasphemy.
What do you think?" They answered, "She is worthy of death!"
Then they spit in her face and beat her with their fists, and some slapped her,
saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?"
Now Petra was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to her, saying, "You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!"
But she denied it before them all, saying, "I don't know what you are talking about."
When she had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw her, and said to those who were there, "This woman also was with Jesus of Nazareth."
Again she denied it with an oath, "I don't know the woman."
After a little while those who stood by came and said to Petra, "Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known."
Then she began to curse and to swear, "I don't know the woman!" Immediately the rooster crowed.
Petra remembered the word which Jesus had said to her, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." She went out and wept bitterly.