The Daily Audio Bible

Passover and betrayal

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests.

¹⁵ “What will you give me,” he said, “to hand him over to you?”

They settled the deal with him at thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ From that moment on, he was watching for an opportunity to hand him over.

¹⁷ On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples said to Jesus, “Where do you want us to get the Passover ready for you to eat it?”

¹⁸ “Go into the city,” he said, “to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The teacher says, “My time is very close. I’m going to keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ ”

¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had told them, and got the Passover ready.

²⁰ When evening came, he settled down with the Twelve. ²¹ As they were eating, he said, “I’m telling you the truth: one of you will betray me.” ²² They were extremely upset, and began to say one by one, “It’s not me, is it, Master?”

²³ “It’s one who’s dipped his hand with me in the dish,” Jesus replied. “That’s the one who will betray me. ²⁴ The son of man is on his way, as the Bible said it would happen, but it’s misery for the man who hands him over. It would be better for that man if he’d never been born.”

²⁵ At this, Judas, who was planning to betray him, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Teacher?”

“You’ve just said so,” he replied.

The Last Supper

²⁶ As they were eating, Jesus took some bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to the disciples.

“Take it and eat it,” he said, “this is my body.”

²⁷ Then he took a cup; and, after giving thanks, he gave it to them.

“Drink this, all of you,” he said. ²⁸ “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ But let me tell you this: I will not drink any more from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my father.”

³⁰ They sang a hymn, and went out to the Mount of Olives.

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You are all going to stumble and fall tonight because of me. This is what the Bible says, you see:

³² “But after I am raised up, I shall go on ahead of you to Galilee.”

³³ “Even if everyone else trips and falls,” said Peter in reply to him, “I’m never going to do that!”

³⁴ “I’m telling you the truth,” said Jesus to him, “this very night, before the cock has crowed, you will deny me three times.”

³⁵ “Even if I have to die with you,” said Peter to him, “I won’t ever deny you!”

And all the disciples said the same.

Gethsemane

³⁶ So Jesus went with them to the place called Gethsemane.

“You sit here,” he said to the disciples, “while I go over there and pray.”

³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, and began to be very upset and distressed.

³⁸ “My soul is overwhelmed with grief,” he said, “even to death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Then, going a little further on, he fell on his face and prayed.

“My father,” he said, “if it’s possible—please, please let this cup go away from me! But . . . not what I want, but what you want.”

⁴⁰ He came back to the disciples and found them asleep.

“So,” he said to Peter, “couldn’t you keep watch with me for a single hour? ⁴¹ Watch and pray so that you don’t get pulled down into the time of testing. The spirit is eager, but the body is weak.”

⁴² Again, for the second time, he went off and said, “My father, if it’s not possible for this to pass unless I drink it, let your will be done.”

⁴³ Again he came and found them asleep; their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ Once more he left them and went away. He prayed for the third time, using the same words once again. ⁴⁵ Then he came back to the disciples.

“You can sleep now,” he said, “and have a good rest! Look—the time has come, and the son of man is given over into the hands of wicked people! ⁴⁶ Get up and let’s be going. Look! Here comes the one who’s going to betray me!”