Mark 14

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 14

1¶ After two days was [the feast of] the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put [him] to death.

2But they said, Not on the feast [day], lest there be an uproar of the people.

3And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured [it] on his head.

4And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

5For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

6And Jesus said, ‹Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.›

7‹For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.›

8‹She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.›

9‹Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, [this] also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.›

10And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

11And when they heard [it], they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

12¶ And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

13And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, ‹Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.›

14‹And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?›

15‹And he will shew you a large upper room furnished [and] prepared: there make ready for us.›

16And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

17And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

18And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, ‹Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.›

19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, [Is] it I? and another [said, Is] it I?

20And he answered and said unto them, ‹[It is] one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.›

21‹The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.›

22And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, ‹Take, eat: this is my body.›

23And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them: and they all drank of it.

24And he said unto them, ‹This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.›

25‹Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.›

26And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

27And Jesus saith unto them, ‹All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.›

28‹But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.›

29But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet [will] not I.

30And Jesus saith unto him, ‹Verily I say unto thee, That this day, [even] in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.›

31But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

32¶ And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, ‹Sit ye here, while I shall pray.›

33And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

34And saith unto them, ‹My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.›

35And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36And he said, ‹Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.›

37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, ‹Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?›

38‹Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly [is] ready, but the flesh [is] weak.›

39And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

40And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

41And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, ‹Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.›

42‹Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.›

43¶ And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead [him] away safely.

45And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

46And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

47And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48And Jesus answered and said unto them, ‹Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and [with] staves to take me?›

49‹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.›

50And they all forsook him, and fled.

51And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about [his] naked [body]; and the young men laid hold on him:

52And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

53¶ And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

57And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,

58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

59But neither so did their witness agree together.

60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what [is it which] these witness against thee?

61But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

62And Jesus said, ‹I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.›

63Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?

64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

66¶ And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is [one] of them.

70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art [one] of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth [thereto].

71But he began to curse and to swear, [saying], I know not this man of whom ye speak.

72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Mark 14 details the plot to kill Jesus, his anointing at Bethany, and Judas Iscariot's agreement to betray him. During the Last Supper, Jesus institutes the new covenant, foretells his betrayal and Peter's denial, then prays in agony in Gethsemane. He is subsequently arrested, tried before the high priest, and condemned, while Peter denies knowing him three times.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with the chief priests and scribes plotting to seize Jesus by craft, fearing public unrest during the Passover. A woman anoints Jesus with costly spikenard, which he declares is for his burial, commending her act. Judas Iscariot then agrees to betray Jesus to the authorities for money. During the Passover meal, Jesus identifies his betrayer and institutes the Last Supper, breaking bread as his body and pouring wine as his blood of the new testament. Afterward, in Gethsemane, Jesus prays in profound sorrow, asking for the cup to pass, while his disciples sleep. He is then arrested by a multitude led by Judas, and subsequently tried before the high priest and the council. Jesus affirms his identity as the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, leading to his condemnation, while Peter denies him thrice as foretold.

Long Summary

Mark 14 begins with the chief priests and scribes conspiring to arrest and kill Jesus, but they decide against doing so during the Passover feast to avoid public unrest. While in Bethany at Simon the leper's house, a woman pours precious spikenard ointment upon Jesus' head, an act some disciples deem wasteful. Jesus defends her, declaring her deed a good work, an anointing for his burial, and promises it will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. Following this, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, goes to the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus, for which they promise him money. On the first day of unleavened bread, Jesus instructs two disciples to prepare the Passover meal in a specific upper room in Jerusalem. During the supper, Jesus reveals that one of his twelve companions, who dips with him in the dish, will betray him, lamenting the fate of the betrayer. He then institutes the Last Supper, taking bread and declaring it his body, and the cup of wine as his blood of the new testament, shed for many, promising to drink it anew in the kingdom of God. After singing a hymn, they go to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus predicts his disciples will be offended and scattered, and specifically that Peter will deny him thrice before the cock crows twice. Peter vehemently protests his loyalty, as do the other disciples. In Gethsemane, Jesus experiences profound sorrow and prays for the "cup" to pass, yet submits to God's will, while his chosen disciples, Peter, James, and John, repeatedly fall asleep despite his plea to watch and pray. Judas soon arrives with a multitude armed with swords and staves, identifying Jesus with a kiss. Jesus is arrested, and though one disciple attempts resistance, all the disciples forsake him and flee. Jesus is then led to the high priest, where the chief priests, elders, and scribes seek false witness to condemn him to death, but their testimonies do not agree. Finally, the high priest directly asks if he is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, to which Jesus replies, "I am," and foretells his return in power. This declaration is deemed blasphemy, and the council unanimously condemns him to death, subjecting him to spitting, buffeting, and striking. Meanwhile, Peter, warming himself in the high priest's palace, is recognized by maids and bystanders, and despite his vehement denials and curses, he denies Jesus three times, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy, and weeps bitterly.

Core Concepts

  • Betrayal of JesusJudas Iscariot, one of the twelve, willingly agrees to betray Jesus to the chief priests for money, identifying him with a kiss in Gethsemane.
  • Anointing for BurialA woman anoints Jesus with costly spikenard, an act Jesus interprets as a preparation for his impending burial, commending her devotion and ensuring her deed will be remembered.
  • Institution of the Last SupperDuring the Passover meal, Jesus breaks bread as his body and shares wine as his blood of the new testament, establishing a new covenant with his disciples.
  • Agony in GethsemaneJesus experiences profound sorrow and prays intensely in the garden of Gethsemane, asking for God's will to be done despite his human desire for the "cup" of suffering to pass.
  • Peter's DenialDespite his fervent promises of loyalty, Peter thrice denies knowing Jesus in the high priest's palace, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy and leading to his bitter weeping.
  • Jesus's Trial and CondemnationJesus is brought before the high priest and the council, where he is falsely accused and ultimately condemned to death for blasphemy after affirming his divine identity.
  • Fulfillment of ScriptureThroughout the chapter, Jesus references the necessity of events occurring "as it is written," particularly concerning his betrayal, the scattering of his disciples, and his suffering.