¶ After two days followed ester, and the days of sweet bread. And the high priests and the scribes sought means, how they might take him by craft and put him to death. But they said: not on the feast day, least any business arise among the people.
¶ When he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, even as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, called nard, that was pure and costly, and she brake the box and poured it on his head. And there were some that disdained in themselves, and said: what needed this waste of ointment? For it might have been sold for more then two hundred pence, and been given unto the poor. And they grudged against her.
¶ And Iesus said: let her be in rest, why grieve ye her? She hath done a good work on me. Yea, and ye shall have poor with you allways: and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye shall not have always. She hath done that she could: she came aforehand to anoint my body to his buryingward. Verily I say unto you: wheresoever this gospel shall be preached thorowout the whole world: this also that she hath done, shall be rehearsed in remembrance of her.
¶ And Iudas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away unto the high priests, to betray him unto them. When they heard that, they were glad, and promised that they would give him money. And he sought, how he might conveniently betray him.
¶ And the first day of sweet bread, when men offer the paschal lamb, his disciples said unto him: where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the ester lamb? And he sent forth two of his disciples, and said unto them: Go ye into the city, and there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water, follow him. And whithersoever he goeth in, say ye to the good man of the house: the master asketh where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the ester lamb with my disciples? And he will shew you a great parlour, paved, and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came in to the city, and found as he had said unto them, and made ready the ester lamb.
¶ And at even, he came with the twelve. And as they sat at board and ate, Iesus said: Verily I say unto you: that one of you shall betray me, which eateth with me. And they began to mourn, and to say to him one by one: is it I? And another said: Is it I? he answered, and said unto them: It is one of the xij. and the same dippeth with me in the platter. The son of man goeth, as it is written of him: but woe be to that man, by whom the son of man is betrayed. Good were it for him, if that man had never been born.
¶ And as they ate, Iesus took bread, gave thanks, brake it and gave it to them and said: Take, eat, This is my body. And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they drank all of it. And he said unto them: This is my blood of the new Testament, which shall be shed for many. Verily I say unto you: I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day, that I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had said grace, they went out into the mount olivet.
¶ And Iesus said unto them: All ye shall hurt thorow me this night. For it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen again I will go into Galile before you. Peter said unto him: And though all men should be hurt, yet would not I. And Iesus said unto him: Verily I say unto thee this day even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he spake bolder: no, if I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. Likewise also said they all.
¶ And they came into a place named Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples: Sit ye here while I go apart and pray. And he took with him Peter, Iames, and Ihon, and he began to wax abashed and to be in an agony. And said unto them: My soul is very heavy even unto the death, tarry here and watch. And he went forth a little and fell down on the ground and prayed: That if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said: Abba father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me. Nevertheless not that I will, but that thou wilt be done.
¶ And he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter: Simon sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch with me one hour? watch ye, and pray, least ye enter into temptation, the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed, and spake the same words. And he returned and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy: neither could they tell what they might answer to him. And he came the third time, and said unto them: sleep hence forth and take your ease. It is enough. The hour is come, Behold the son of man shall be delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Lo he that betrayeth me, is come nye.
¶ And immediately while he yet spake came Iudas, one of the twelve, and with him a great number of people with swords and staves from the high priests and scribes and seniors. He that betrayed him, gave them a general token, saying: whosoever I do kiss, he it is, take him, and lead him away warily. And as soon as he was come, he went straightway to him, and said unto him: master, master, and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by drew out a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
¶ And Iesus answered and said unto them: ye came out as unto a thief with swords and with staves for to take me. I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not, but that the scriptures should be fulfilled: And they all forsook him and ran away. And there was a certain young man that followed him clothed in linen upon the bare, and the young men caught him, and he left his linen and fled from them naked.
¶ And they led Iesus away to the highest priest of all, and to him came all the high priests and the seniors, and the scribes. And Peter followed him a great way off even into the palace of the high priest, and he was there and sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
¶ And the high priests and all the council sought for witness against Iesu, to put him to death, And they found none. Yet many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain and brought false witness against him, saying: We heard him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another, made without hands. And their witness agreed not together.
¶ And the highest priest stood up amongst them all, and asked Iesus saying: answerest thou nothing? How is it that these bear witness against thee? And he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the highest priest asked him, and said unto him: Art thou the Christ the son of the blessed? And Iesus said: I am. And ye shall see the son of man sit on the right hand of power, and come in the clouds of heaven. Then the highest priest rent his clothes and said: what need we any further witness? ye have heard the blasphemy, what think ye? And they all gave sentence that he was worthy of death. And some began to spit at him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with their fists, and to say unto him, aread unto us. And the servants buffeted him on the face.
¶ And Peter was beneath in the palace, and there came one of the wenches of the highest priest, And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked on him, and said: was not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth? And he denied it saying: I know him not, neither wot I what thou sayest: And he went out into the porch, and the cock crew. And a damsel saw him, and again began to say to them that stood by, this is one of them. And he denied it again. And anon after, again they that stood by, said to Peter: surely thou art one of them, for thou art of Galile, and thy speech agreeth thereto. And he began to curse and to swear, saying: I know not this man of whom ye speak. And again the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Iesus said unto him: before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice, and began to weep.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526