Mark 14:1–72

¹ Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him. ² “But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” ³ While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head. ⁴ Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me. ⁸ She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial. ⁹ And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” ¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus. ¹² On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹³ So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, ¹⁴ and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” ¹⁶ So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover. ¹⁷ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸ And while they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me.” ¹⁹ They began to be grieved and to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I?” ²⁰ He answered, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping his hand into the bowl with Me. ²¹ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” ²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.” ²³ Then…