4. They made plans to arrest Jesus in an underhanded way and to kill him.
5. But they said, “We shouldn’t arrest him during the festival, or else there may be a riot among the people.”
6. Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon, a man who had suffered from a skin disease.
7. While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him with a bottle of very expensive perfume and poured it on his head.
8. The disciples were irritated when they saw this. They asked, “Why did she waste it like this?
9. It could have been sold for a high price, and the money could have been given to the poor.”
10. Since Jesus knew what was going on, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me.
11. You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me with you.
12. She poured this perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb.
13. I can guarantee this truth: Wherever this Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
14. Then one of the twelve apostles, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests.
15. He asked, “What will you pay me if I hand him over to you?”They offered him 30 silver coins.
16. From then on, he looked for a chance to betray Jesus.
17. On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples went to Jesus. They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
18. He said, “Go to a certain man in the city, and tell him that the teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ”
19. The disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20. When evening came, Jesus was at the table with the twelve apostles.
21. While they were eating, he said, “I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me.”