It is [now] two days before Passover, and the [festival of] unleavened [bread]. The archpriests and scholars seek to seize him by subterfuge and kill him. They say — Not in the festival, lest there then be an uproar of the people.

He stays in Beth-Anias, at the house of Shimon the scabbed. When he reclines [to dine], a woman comes with an alabaster box of expensive oil of spikenard, and, shattering the box, pours [it] over his head. There are some who, roiling, [say] — For what this destruction of perfume? This perfume could be sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the Poor. And they snort at her.

But Yoshua says — Leave her [alone]. Why do you give her trouble? She has worked a good work for me. For you always have the Poor with you, and whenever you wish you are able to do them good, but you do not always have me. What she [could], she did. She has anticipated the oiling of my body for burial.

Amen I say to you, wherever the Welcome Message is preached in the whole cosmos, what she has done will be spoken of in memory of her.

Youdas the Sicarius, one of the Twelve, goes away to the archpriests, to render him to them. They, hearing [him], are pleased, and offer to give him money. And he seeks how to render him in timely [fashion].

On the first day of unleavened [bread], when they sacrifice the Passover [lamb], his students ask him — Where do you wish us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover [lamb]?

He sends two of his students, saying to them — Go ahead into the city, and a person will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow them, and wherever they go in, say to the steward of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the [guests’] lodging¹ for me to eat the Passover with my students?”’ And he will show you a large above-ground [room], furnished and ready. Prepare for us there.

And his students go out and enter the city and find [things] as he said, and they prepare the Passover. Come evening, he arrives with the Twelve. As they are sitting and eating, Yoshua says — Amen I say to you that one of you will render me up, one who is eating with me.

They begin to be anxious, and say to him one by one — Not me!

He says to them — One of the Twelve, who dips with me [into] the dish, because the Human One goes before, as it was written about him. Ah! for that person by whom the Human One is rendered up. Well had that person not been born.

[As] they are eating, he takes bread, and giving praise, he breaks [it] and gives [it] to them, saying — Take [this]; this is my body.

Taking the drinking cup, he gives thanks, and gives [it] to them, and they all drink from it. And he says to them — This is my blood of the pact, which is poured out on behalf of many. Amen I say to you that I will no longer drink the product of the grape-vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Chanting [the Passover songs], they go out to the Mountain of Olives. And Yoshua says to them — All will be made to stumble, for it is written, ‘I will strike the herdsman, and the livestock will be scattered.’ But after I rise up, I will lead you into Galilaia.

Petros says to him — Even if all are made to stumble, I [will] not.
But Yoshua says to him — Amen I say to you that this day, in the night, before a rooster crows twice, you will reject me three times.

But he says even more — If I must die with you, I will never reject you!

So say they all.

They come to a place named Gath-Shmanei, and he says to his students — Sit here, until I [finish] praying.

He takes Petros and Yaakov and Yohanan with him, and begins to be bewildered and in distress. He says to them — I am very depressed, almost suicidal. Stay here, and stay awake.

Going a little apart, he falls on the ground, and prays that if possible, the hour could pass by him. He says — Abba, father, all abilities [are] yours; turn away this wine-cup from me.

But not what I wish, but what you [do].

He comes and finds them sleeping, and says to Petros — Shimon, are you sleeping? Are you not strong enough to keep awake for one hour? Keep awake and offer prayers, lest you be tested. The æther is eager, but the flesh is feeble.

He goes away again to pray. Coming [back] again he finds them sleeping, their eyes heavy, and they do not know how to answer him.

He comes a third time, and says to them — Sleep on and you will be ended. It is being poured out; the hour has come. Look, the Human One is rendered into the hands of the failures. Wake up and let us go. Look, my betrayer is near.

Then while he is speaking, comes Youdas of the Twelve, and with him a crowd with knives and cudgels from the archpriests and the scholars and the elders. His betrayer has given them a signal, saying — Whoever I embrace is he; seize him and lead him away firmly.

When they come, he comes up to him, and says — Great one, and kisses him.

They lay their hands on him and seize him. And one of those standing there, drawing a blade, strikes the slave of the archpriest and cuts his ear.

In response, Yoshua says to them — [Is it] as at a bandit you come out with knives and cudgels to detain me? Day by day we were before you in the sanctum teaching, and you did not seize me. But so that the writings may be completed —

Abandoning him, all flee. A youth who follows him has a linen [sheet] wrapped around his nakedness. They seize him, but he, dropping the linen, flees naked.

They lead Yoshua before the archpriest, and all the archpriests and elders and scholars gather together. Petros follows him from far off, into the courtyard of the archpriest, and sits with the assistants, warming [up] in the [fire]light.

The archpriest and the whole council seek testimony against Yoshua, to execute him, but they find none. For many perjure themselves against him, but their testimony is not consistent. Some, standing, testify falsely against him, saying — We heard him saying, ‘I will destroy this temple made by hands, and take three days to build another not build by hands.’ But their testimony is never consistent.

The archpriest, standing in the center, questions Yoshua, saying —You do not respond. Why do these testify against you? But he is silent, and does not respond. Again the archpriest questions him and says to him — Are you the Chosen One, the son of the Most Blessed One?

— I AM, Yoshua says, and ‘you will see the Human One seated at the right [hand] of the Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.’

The archpriest, tearing his tunic, says — What more need do we have of witnesses? You hear this blasphemy! What is [the verdict] evident to you?

They all condemn him to be sentenced to death. And some begin to spit on him, all over his face, and slap him, and say — Prophesize! The assistants seize him with blows.

[While] Petros is in the courtyard below, one of the archpriest’s [servant] girls comes, and seeing Petros warming up, looks at him and says — You were with the Nazarenos, Yoshua, also.

He denies [this], saying — I neither know nor understand what you are saying

He goes out into the portico, and a rooster crows. The girl, seeing him, comes again saying to those there — This is [one] of them.

Again he denies [it]. Again after a short [time] those around say to Petros — Truly you are [one] of them, for you are Galilaian, and your speech is the same.

But he begins to curse, and swears — I do not know this person of whom you speak.

Then a second time a rooster crows, and Petros remembers the word Yoshua spoke, ‘Before a rooster crows twice you will reject me three times,’ and gasping, he wails aloud.

Chapter 15