Matius 26:31-56

The Prediction of Peter’s Denial

26:31 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.’ ¹ 

26:32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 26:33 Peter ²  said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 26:34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, ³  on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 26:35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.

Gethsemane

26:36 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.” 26:37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 26:39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, ⁴  “My Father, if possible, ⁵  let this cup ⁶  pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 26:40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He ⁷  said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 26:41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, ⁸  “My Father, if this cup ⁹  cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 26:43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. ¹⁰  26:44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 26:45 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. 26:46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer ¹¹  is approaching!”

Betrayal and Arrest

26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, ¹²  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. 26:48 (Now the betrayer ¹³  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. ¹⁴  Arrest him!”) ¹⁵  26:49 Immediately ¹⁶  he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. ¹⁷  26:50 Jesus ¹⁸  said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold ¹⁹  of Jesus and arrested him. 26:51 But ²⁰  one of those with Jesus grabbed ²¹  his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, ²²  cutting off his ear. 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! ²³  For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions ²⁴  of angels right now? 26:54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 26:55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? ²⁵  Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet ²⁶  you did not arrest me. 26:56 But this has happened so that ²⁷  the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

[26:31]  ¹ sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.

[26:33]  ² tn Grk “answering, Peter said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:34]  ³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[26:39]  ⁴ tn Grk “ground, praying and saying.” Here the participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[26:39]  ⁵ tn Grk “if it is possible.”

[26:39]  ⁶ sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.

[26:40]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:42]  ⁸ tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[26:42]  ⁹ tn Grk “this”; the referent (the cup) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:43]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).

[26:46]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the one who betrays me.”

[26:47]  ¹² tn Grk “behold, Judas.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[26:48]  ¹³ tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[26:48]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “The one I kiss is he.”

[26:48]  ¹⁵ sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[26:49]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:49]  ¹⁷ sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[26:50]  ¹⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:50]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”

[26:51]  ²⁰ tn Grk “And behold one.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[26:51]  ²¹ tn Grk “extending his hand, drew out his sword, and struck.” Because rapid motion is implied in the circumstances, the translation “grabbed” was used.

[26:51]  ²² tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[26:52]  ²³ tn The translation “put your sword back in its place” for this phrase is given in L&N 85.52.

[26:53]  ²⁴ sn A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be 72,000.

[26:55]  ²⁵ tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).

[26:55]  ²⁶ tn Grk “and” (καί, kai), a conjunction that is elastic enough to be used to indicate a contrast, as here.

[26:56]  ²⁷ tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.