25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five 1 of the virgins 2 were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When 3 the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra 4 olive oil 5 with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When 6 the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 7 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The 8 foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied. 9 ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then 10 the door was shut. 11 Later, 11 the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ 12 12 But he replied, 13 ‘I tell you the truth, 14 I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. 15
14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves 16 and entrusted his property to them. 15 To 17 one he gave five talents, 18 to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work 19 and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After 20 a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The 21 one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, 22 you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered, 23 ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The 24 one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so 25 I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered, 26 ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, 27 and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 28 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 29 29 For the one who has will be given more, 30 and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 31 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When 32 the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All 33 the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He 34 will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 35 ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When 36 did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When 37 did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, 38 ‘I tell you the truth, 39 just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters 40 of mine, you did it for me.’
41 “Then he will say 41 to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they too will answer, 42 ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45 Then he will answer them, 43 ‘I tell you the truth, 44 just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
26 When 1 Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over 2 to be crucified.” 3 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 4 They 4 planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” 5
6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar 6 of expensive perfumed oil, 7 and she poured it on his head as he was at the table. 8 8 When 9 the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 9 It 10 could have been sold at a high price and the money 11 given to the poor!” 10 When 12 Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She 13 has done a good service for me. 11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me! 14 12 When 15 she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, 16 wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” 17 So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 16 From that time 18 on, Judas 19 began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
17 Now on the first day of the feast of 20 Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said, 21 “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 22 18 He 23 said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’” 19 So 24 the disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When 25 it was evening, he took his place at the table 26 with the twelve. 27 21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, 28 one of you will betray me.” 29 22 They 30 became greatly distressed 31 and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 23 He 32 answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me 33 will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 25 Then 34 Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus 35 replied, “You have said it yourself.”
26 While 36 they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood, the blood 37 of the covenant, 38 that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I 39 tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit 40 of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 After 41 singing a hymn, 42 they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 43
32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter 44 said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, 45 on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, 46 “My Father, if possible, 47 let this cup 48 pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He 49 said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, 50 “My Father, if this cup 51 cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. 52 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer 53 is approaching!”
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, 54 one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 (Now the betrayer 55 had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. 56 Arrest him!”) 57 49 Immediately 58 he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. 59 50 Jesus 60 said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold 61 of Jesus and arrested him. 51 But 62 one of those with Jesus grabbed 63 his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, 64 cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! 65 For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions 66 of angels right now? 54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? 67 Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet 68 you did not arrest me. 56 But this has happened so that 69 the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house 70 the experts in the law 71 and the elders had gathered. 58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After 72 going in, he sat with the guards 73 to see the outcome. 59 The 74 chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally 75 two came forward 61 and declared, “This man 76 said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 So 77 the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus was silent. The 78 high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, 79 the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand 80 of the Power 81 and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 82 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, 83 “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now 84 you have heard the blasphemy! 66 What is your verdict?” 85 They 86 answered, “He is guilty and deserves 87 death.” 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! 88 Who hit you?” 89
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A 90 slave girl 91 came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it in front of them all: 92 “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 71 When 93 he went out to the gateway, another slave girl 94 saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 73 After 95 a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent 96 gives you away!” 74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. 97 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. 98
27 When 1 it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 2 They 2 tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate 3 the governor. 4
3 Now when 5 Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus 6 had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 5 So 7 Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 6 The 8 chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 After 9 consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners. 8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah 10 the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, 11 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” 12
11 Then 13 Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, 14 “Are you the king 15 of the Jews?” Jesus 16 said, “You say so.” 17 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?” 14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.
15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, 18 whomever they wanted. 16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus 19 Barabbas. 17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus 20 Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” 21 18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.) 22 19 As 23 he was sitting on the judgment seat, 24 his wife sent a message 25 to him: 26 “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; 27 I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream 28 about him today.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 21 The 29 governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” 30 They all said, “Crucify him!” 31 23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”
24 When 32 Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” 33 25 In 34 reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, 35 he handed him over 36 to be crucified. 37 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence 38 and gathered the whole cohort 39 around him. 28 They 40 stripped him and put a scarlet robe 41 around him, 29 and after braiding 42 a crown of thorns, 43 they put it on his head. They 44 put a staff 45 in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: 46 “Hail, king of the Jews!” 47 30 They 48 spat on him and took the staff 49 and struck him repeatedly 50 on the head. 31 When 51 they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then 52 they led him away to crucify him.
32 As 53 they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced 54 to carry his cross. 55 33 They 56 came to a place called Golgotha 57 (which means “Place of the Skull”) 58 34 and offered Jesus 59 wine mixed with gall to drink. 60 But after tasting it, he would not drink it. 35 When 61 they had crucified 62 him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. 63 36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there. 37 Above 64 his head they put the charge against him, 65 which read: 66 “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those 67 who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! 68 If you are God’s Son, come down 69 from the cross!” 41 In 70 the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 71 and elders 72 – were mocking him: 73 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down 74 now from the cross, we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now 75 because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 44 The 76 robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 77
45 Now from noon until three, 78 darkness came over all the land. 79 46 At 80 about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, 81 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 82 47 When 83 some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 Immediately 84 one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, 85 put it on a stick, 86 and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.” 87 50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Just then 88 the temple curtain 89 was torn in two, from top to bottom. The 90 earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died 91 were raised. 53 (They 92 came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 54 Now when the centurion 93 and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” 55 Many 94 women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him support 95 were also there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 Now 96 when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 97 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 98 Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph 99 took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 100 60 and placed it 101 in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. 102 Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance 103 of the tomb and went away. 61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)
62 The 104 next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees 105 assembled before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body 106 and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “Take 107 a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 66 So 108 they went with the soldiers 109 of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
