Day 66 – The Lord's Supper

₁The time was near for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover. ₂The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were afraid of the people, and so they were trying to find a way of putting Jesus to death secretly.

₃Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples. ₄So Judas went off and spoke with the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. ₅They were pleased and offered to pay him money. ₆Judas agreed to it and started looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them without the people knowing about it.

₇The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the lambs for the Passover meal were to be killed. ₈Jesus sent off Peter and John with these instructions: “Go and get the Passover meal ready for us to eat.”

₉“Where do you want us to get it ready?” they asked him.

₁₀He answered, “As you go into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, ₁₁and say to the owner of the house: ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the room where my disciples and I will eat the Passover meal?’ ₁₂He will show you a large furnished room upstairs, where you will get everything ready.”

₁₃They went off and found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

₁₄When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. ₁₅He said to them, “I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! ₁₆For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.”

₁₇Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. ₁₈I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.”

₁₉Then he took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” ₂₀In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is God's new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.

₂₁“But, look! The one who betrays me is here at the table with me! ₂₂The Son of Man will die as God has decided, but how terrible for that man who betrays him!”

₂₃Then they began to ask among themselves which one of them it could be who was going to do this.

₂₄An argument broke out among the disciples as to which one of them should be thought of as the greatest. ₂₅Jesus said to them, “The kings of the pagans have power over their people, and the rulers claim the title ‘Friends of the People’. ₂₆But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. ₂₇Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves.

₂₈“You have stayed with me all through my trials; ₂₉and just as my Father has given me the right to rule, so I will give you the same right. ₃₀You will eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel.

₃₁“Simon, Simon! Listen! Satan has received permission to test all of you, to separate the good from the bad, as a farmer separates the wheat from the chaff. ₃₂But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you turn back to me, you must strengthen your brothers.”

₃₃Peter answered, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you and to die with you!”

₃₄“I tell you, Peter,” Jesus said, “the cock will not crow tonight until you have said three times that you do not know me.”

₃₅Then Jesus asked his disciples, “When I sent you out that time without purse, bag, or shoes, did you lack anything?”

“Not a thing,” they answered.

₃₆“But now,” Jesus said, “whoever has a purse or a bag must take it; and whoever has no sword must sell his coat and buy one. ₃₇For I tell you that the scripture which says, ‘He shared the fate of criminals,’ must come true about me, because what was written about me is coming true.”

₃₈The disciples said, “Look! Here are two swords, Lord!”

“That is enough!” he replied.

₃₉Jesus left the city and went, as he usually did, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples went with him. ₄₀When he arrived at the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

₄₁Then he went off from them about the distance of a stone's throw and knelt down and prayed. ₄₂“Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.” ₄₃An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. ₄₄In great anguish he prayed even more fervently; his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

₄₅Rising from his prayer, he went back to the disciples and found them asleep, worn out by their grief. ₄₆He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation.”