HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1260
MAT T H EW 2 6
away from me. Yet I want your will to be done,
not mine.”
40 Then he returned to the disciples and found
them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you
watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch
and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body
is weak!”
42 Then Jesus left them a second time and
prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken
away* unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 When he returned to them again, he found
them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes
open.
44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the
same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your
rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of
Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up,
let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the
twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men
armed with swords and clubs. They had been
sent by the leading priests and elders of the
people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a
prearranged signal: “You will know which one
to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!”
he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.
50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do
what you have come for.”
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested
him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out
his sword and struck the high priest’s slave,
slashing off his ear.
52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him.
“Those who use the sword will die by the sword.
• Mistakes
MAT T H E W 2 6 :6 9 -7 5
In the midst of a confusing, frightening
evening, Peter denied three times the
very man he had vowed to follow to
the death (26:31-35). We learn two
valuable lessons from this story. First,
Peter confessed his mistakes. We know
of his shameful denials only because
he allowed them to become part of the
Gospel record. Second, in a beautiful
story of restoration (John 21:15-19),
Peter reaffirmed his love for Jesus and
was restored to fellowship and spiritual
strength. Our mistakes can defeat us
only when we don’t follow them with
confession and seeking Jesus.
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53 Don’t
you realize that I could ask my Father
for thousands* of angels to protect us, and he
would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how
would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe
what must happen now?”
55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some
dangerous revolutionary, that you come with
swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you
arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching
every day. 56 But this is all happening to fulfill
the words of the prophets as recorded in the
Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus before the Council
57 Then the people who had arrested Jesus led
him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest,
where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered. 58 Meanwhile, Peter followed
him at a distance and came to the high priest’s
courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards
and waited to see how it would all end.
59 Inside, the leading priests and the entire
high council* were trying to find witnesses who
would lie about Jesus, so they could put him
to death. 60 But even though they found many
who agreed to give false witness, they could not
use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came
forward 61 who declared, “This man said, ‘I am
able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it
in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to
Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these
charges? What do you have to say for yourself?”
63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high
priest said to him, “I demand in the name of
the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah,
the Son of God.”
64 Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the
future you will see the Son of Man seated in the
place of power at God’s right hand* and coming
on the clouds of heaven.”*
65 Then the high priest tore his clothing to
show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do
we need other witnesses? You have all heard his
blasphemy. 66 What is your verdict?”
“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”
67 Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and
beat him with their fists. And some slapped
him, 68 jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!
Who hit you that time?”
Peter Denies Jesus
69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the
courtyard. A servant girl came over and said
to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the
Galilean.”
70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
26:42 Greek If this cannot pass. 26:53 Greek twelve legions.
26:59 Greek the Sanhedrin. 26:64a Greek seated at the right
hand of the power. See Ps 110:1. 26:64b See Dan 7:13.