The Gospel According to St Matthew

 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 ^apassover, and the Son of man is ^bbetrayed to be ^ccrucified.

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

 4 And ^aconsulted that they might take Jesus by ^bsubtilty, and ^ckill him.

 5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an ^auproar among the people.

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

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

 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this ^awaste?

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

 10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath ^awrought 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 ^afor 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,

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

 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to ^abetray him.

 17 ¶Now the first day of the feast of ^aunleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the ^bpassover?

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

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

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

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

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

 23 And 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 ^awritten of him: but woe unto that man by whom the ^bSon of man is betrayed! ^cit had been good for that man if he had not been ^dborn.

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

 26 ¶^aAnd as they were eating, Jesus took ^bbread, ^cand blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my ^dbody.

 27 And he took the ^acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ^bDrink ye all of it;

 28 For this is my ^ablood of the new ^btestament, which is shed for many for the ^cremission of sins.

 29 But I say unto you, I will not ^adrink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I ^bdrink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

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

 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be ^aoffended because of me this night: for it is written, I will ^bsmite the ^cshepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

 32 But after I am ^arisen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

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

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

 35 Peter 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 ^aGethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and ^bpray yonder.

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

 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is ^aexceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and ^bwatch with me.

 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, O my ^bFather, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt.

 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them ^aasleep, and saith unto Peter, What, ^bcould ye not watch with me one hour?

 41 ^aWatch and ^bpray, that ye enter not into ^ctemptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

 42 He 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 ^awill be done.

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

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

 45 Then 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 ^abetrayed 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.

 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

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

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

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

 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall ^aperish 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 ^ascriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

 55 In 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 ^ateaching 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 ^aCaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

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

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

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

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

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

 63 But Jesus ^aheld his ^bpeace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I ^cadjure thee by the ^dliving God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the ^aSon of man sitting on the right hand of ^bpower, and ^ccoming in the clouds of heaven.

 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken ^ablasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is ^aguilty ^bof ^cdeath.

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

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

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

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

 71 And 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.

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

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

 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the ^acock crew.

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