It was now two days before the Feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might sieze ‘ISA1 by deception, and kill him. 2For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people.”
3While ‘ISA was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. 4But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted? 5For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,2 and given to the poor.” They grumbled against her.
6But ‘ISA said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. 7For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying. 9Most assuredly I tell you, wherever this Injil 3 may be preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”
10Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. 11They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him. 12On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make ready that you may eat the Passover?”
13He sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and there you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, 14and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”‘ 15He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make ready for us there.”
16His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
17When it was evening he came with the twelve. 18As they sat and were eating, ‘ISA said, “Most assuredly I tell you, one of you will betray me — he who eats with me.”
19They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”
20He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish. 21For the SON OF MAN4 goes just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the SON OF MAN is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
22As they were eating, ‘ISA took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”
23He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. 24He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Most assuredly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of God.” 26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27‘ISA 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 will be scattered.’ 5
28However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”
29But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”
30‘ISA said to him, “Most assuredly I tell you, that today, even this night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
31But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.
32They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.” 33He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. 34He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch.”
35He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. 36He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”
37He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour? 38Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. 40Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn’t know what to answer him. 41He came the third time, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Look, the SON OF MAN is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Arise, let us be going. Look, he who betrays me is at hand.”
43Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came–and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whoever I will kiss, that is the man. Seize him, and lead him away safely.” 45When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46They laid their hands on him, and seized him. 47But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48‘ISA answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? 49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is so that Al-Kitab might be fulfilled.”
50They all left him, and fled. 51A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself, over his naked body. The young men grabbed him, 52but he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 53They led ‘ISA away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.
54Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire. 55Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against ‘ISA to put him to death, and found none. 56For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn’t agree with each other. 57Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.'” 59Even so, their testimony did not agree.
60The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked ‘ISA, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?” 61But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you AL-MASIH6, SON of the Praiseworthy One?”
62‘ISA said, “I am. You will see the…
SON OF MAN sitting at the right hand of Power, and ‘coming with the clouds of the sky’ 7.”
63The high priest tore his clothes, and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death. 65Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
66As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came, 67and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You were also with that Nasrani8, ‘ISA!”
68But he denied it, saying, “I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the cock crowed.
69The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.” 70But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” 71But he began to curse, and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!” 72The cock crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that ‘ISA said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”When he thought about that, he wept.
- 14:1 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 14:5 300 denarii was about a years wages for an agricultural laborer. ↩︎
- 14:9 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH. ↩︎ - 14:21 SON OF MAN, a title for the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, derived from the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of the sky, and he came to the ANCIENT OF DAYS, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” The title SON OF MAN was Prophet ‘ISA Ibn Maryam’s most common way of referring to himself. ↩︎
- 14:27 Quoting the Taurat, Zakariyya 13:7 which states: “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says YAHWEH All-Powerful. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones.” ↩︎
- 14:61 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH. Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
- 14:62 Quoting the Taurat, Daniel 7:13 which says: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of the sky, and he came even to the ANCIENT OF DAYS, and they brought him near before him. ↩︎
- 14:67 Nasrani, the Greek Injil says “Nazaranou,” which means “inhabitant of Nazareth.” Nazareth is an ancient city in the northern regions of Palestine. ↩︎