Worth the Cost: Nard, Betrayal, and True Devotion

¹It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception and kill him.

²For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot among the people.”

³While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar and poured it over his head.

⁴But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted?

⁵For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” So they grumbled against her.

⁶But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me.

⁷For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me.

⁸She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.

⁹Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, that which this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

¹⁰Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them.

¹¹They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.

¹²On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?”

¹³He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him,

¹⁴and wherever he enters in, tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’

¹⁵He will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Get ready for us there.”

¹⁶His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found things as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷When it was evening he came with the twelve.

¹⁸As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”

¹⁹They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”

²⁰He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.

²¹For the Son of Man goes as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

²²As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”

²³He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.

²⁴He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.

²⁵Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.”

²⁶When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

²⁷Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

²⁸However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”

²⁹But Peter said to him, “Although all will be offended, yet I will not.”

³⁰Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

³¹But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.

³²They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

³³He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed.

³⁴He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”

³⁵He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

³⁶He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

³⁷He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour?

³⁸Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

³⁹Again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.

⁴⁰Again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they didn’t know what to answer him.

⁴¹He came the third time and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

⁴²Arise! Let’s get going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

⁴³Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.

⁴⁴Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely.”

⁴⁵When he had come, immediately he came to him and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him.

⁴⁶They laid their hands on him and seized him.

⁴⁷But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

⁴⁸Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me?

⁴⁹I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.”

⁵⁰They all left him, and fled.

⁵¹A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself over his naked body. The young men grabbed him,

⁵²but he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.

⁵⁴Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire.

⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.

⁵⁶For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn’t agree with each other.

⁵⁷Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying,

⁵⁸“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’ ”

⁵⁹Even so, their testimony didn’t agree.

⁶⁰The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?”

⁶¹But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

⁶²Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.”

⁶³The high priest tore his clothes and said, “What further need have we of witnesses?

⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death.

⁶⁵Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

⁶⁶As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came,

⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!”

⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed.

⁶⁹The maid saw him and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.”

⁷⁰But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.”

⁷¹But he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know this man of whom you speak!”

⁷²The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the words that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.