Matthew 26

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 26

1¶ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

2‹Ye know that after two days is [the feast of] the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.›

3Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

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

5But they said, Not on the feast [day], lest there be an uproar among the people.

6¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

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

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

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

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

11‹For 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] for my burial.›

13‹Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever 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¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

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

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

17¶ Now 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?

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

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

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

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

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

23And he answered and said, ‹He that dippeth [his] hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.›

24‹The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.›

25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, ‹Thou hast said.›

26¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, ‹Take, eat; this is my body.›

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

28‹For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.›

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

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

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

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

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

34Jesus said unto him, ‹Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.›

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

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

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

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

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

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

41‹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.›

42He 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.›

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

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

45Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, ‹Sleep on now, and take [your] rest: behold, 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 while he yet spake, lo, 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 gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

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

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

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

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

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

54‹But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?›

55In 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.›

56‹But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.› Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

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

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

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

60But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, [yet] found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

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

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

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

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

65Then 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.

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

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

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

69¶ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus foretells his crucifixion, and a woman anoints him for burial, an act Jesus commends. Judas Iscariot agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. During the Passover, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper and identifies Judas as his betrayer. In Gethsemane, Jesus prays in agony while his disciples sleep, before being arrested following Judas's kiss. He is then condemned by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy, while Peter denies him three times, fulfilling prophecy.

Medium Summary

Matthew 26 begins with Jesus predicting his crucifixion during the Passover, prompting the chief priests to plot his death, though not during the feast. In Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus with costly ointment, which he declares is for his burial, ensuring her act will be remembered. Subsequently, Judas Iscariot agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. During the Passover meal, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, identifying the bread as his body and the wine as his blood of the new testament, shed for the remission of sins. He also reveals that one of his disciples will betray him. After a hymn, they go to Gethsemane, where Jesus prays in deep anguish, submitting to his Father's will, while his disciples fall asleep. Judas then arrives with a multitude, betraying Jesus with a kiss, leading to his arrest. Jesus is brought before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, where he is falsely accused and ultimately condemned for blasphemy after affirming his divine identity, suffering mockery. Meanwhile, Peter, following afar off, denies Jesus three times before the cock crows, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy, and weeps bitterly.

Long Summary

Chapter 26 of Matthew opens with Jesus informing his disciples that he will be betrayed and crucified in two days, coinciding with the Passover feast. Simultaneously, the chief priests, scribes, and elders convene at Caiaphas's palace, conspiring to seize Jesus by subtlety and kill him, though they resolve to avoid doing so on the feast day to prevent public unrest. In Bethany, at Simon the leper's house, a woman pours precious ointment on Jesus' head. When the disciples express indignation at this perceived waste, Jesus defends her, declaring that she has performed a good work for his burial and that her act 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 to them for thirty pieces of silver, seeking an opportune moment. On the first day of unleavened bread, Jesus instructs his disciples to prepare the Passover meal in the city. As they eat, Jesus solemnly announces that one of them will betray him, causing great sorrow among the disciples, each asking, “Lord, is it I?” Jesus identifies his betrayer as the one who dips his hand with him in the dish, pronouncing woe upon that man. During the meal, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He then takes the cup, gives thanks, and gives it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” After singing a hymn, they proceed to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus predicts that all his disciples will be offended because of him that night, and specifically tells Peter that he will deny him thrice before the cock crows. Peter vehemently protests his loyalty, as do the other disciples. In Gethsemane, Jesus takes Peter and the two sons of Zebedee aside, expressing his soul's exceeding sorrow unto death. He prays three times, asking if it be possible for the cup to pass from him, but ultimately submits to the Father's will, finding his disciples asleep each time. While Jesus is still speaking, Judas arrives with a great multitude armed with swords and staves, sent by the chief priests and elders. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, and Jesus is arrested. One of Jesus' companions draws a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant, but Jesus commands him to put it away, stating that those who live by the sword will perish by it, and affirming his ability to call legions of angels, but emphasizing the fulfillment of scripture. All the disciples then forsake him and flee. Jesus is led to Caiaphas, where the council seeks false witness to put him to death. Despite many false witnesses, they find no consistent testimony until two claim he said he could destroy and rebuild the temple in three days. Jesus remains silent until Caiaphas adjures him by the living God to state if he is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus affirms this, adding that they will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. The high priest tears his clothes, accusing Jesus of blasphemy, and the council condemns him as guilty of death, spitting on him and buffeting him. Meanwhile, Peter, sitting outside in the palace, is identified by several individuals as being with Jesus. Each time, Peter denies knowing Jesus, eventually cursing and swearing. Immediately, the cock crows, and Peter remembers Jesus' prophecy, going out to weep bitterly.

Core Concepts

  • Betrayal of JesusJudas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, agrees to betray Jesus to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver, culminating in a kiss of identification in the garden of Gethsemane.
  • Institution of the Lord's SupperDuring the Passover meal, Jesus takes bread and wine, declaring them his body and blood of the new testament, to be shed for the remission of sins, establishing a new covenant ritual.
  • Gethsemane PrayerJesus' profound agony in the garden of Gethsemane, where he prays three times for the 'cup' of suffering to pass from him, yet ultimately submits to the will of his Father.
  • Peter's DenialJesus prophesies that Peter will deny him thrice before the cock crows, a prophecy fulfilled when Peter, following Jesus afar off, vehemently denies knowing him to three different accusers.
  • Trial before CaiaphasJesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, where false witnesses accuse him. Jesus' affirmation of being the Son of God leads to a charge of blasphemy and a death sentence.
  • Fulfillment of ScriptureJesus repeatedly emphasizes that the unfolding events of his betrayal, arrest, and the disciples' scattering are all happening according to the prophecies written in the scriptures.
  • Anointing for BurialA woman anoints Jesus with costly ointment in Bethany, an act Jesus interprets as a preparation for his impending burial, declaring that her deed will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.