26
1 And it came about when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach completed all these divrei torah, he said to his talmidim, 2 You know, that after two days, there is Pesach, and the Bar Enosh is handed over for talui al HaEtz.*
3 Then the Rashei Hakohanim and the Ziknei haAm (Elders of the People) were assembled in the courtyard of the residence of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), the one being called Caiapha. 4 And they planned to arrest Yehoshua by a trap and kill him. 5 But they were saying, Not during the Chag (Feast), lest a riot break out among the am haaretz.†
6 And, while Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was in Beit-Anyah in the bais of Shim'on the leper, 7 An isha approached him with an alabaster flask of costly perfume, and she poured it out on Moshiachʼs rosh, as he sat bimesibba (reclining at tish).‡ 8 And having seen this, Moshiachʼs talmidim were angry, saying, For what is this waste? 9 For it would have been possible to sell this for a generous sum and give to the aniyim (poor ones). 10 Aware of this, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Why are you bringing about difficulty for the isha for the ma'aseh tov (good deed) she does to me. 11 For the aniyim you have with you always, but you do not always have me. 12 For this isha (woman) has poured this ointment on my basar (body) in order to prepare me for kevurah (burial).§ 13 Omein, I say to you, wherever this Besuras HaGeulah is preached bchol HaOlam (in all the world), in her memory it will be spoken also what was done by her.
14 Then, one of the Shneym Asar (Twelve), Yehudah from K'riot, went to the Rashei Hakohanim 15 and said, What are you willing to give me? And I will hand him over to you. And they weighed out for him sheloshim shiklei kesef (thirty pieces of silver). 16 And from then on he was seeking an opportunity that he might hand Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach over.
17 But at the onset of Chag HaMatzot, Moshiachʼs talmidim approached him, saying, Where do you wish we should prepare for you your Seder? 18 And he said, Go into the city to such and such person and say to him, Our Rebbe says, My time is at hand. With you I am observing Pesach with my talmidim. 19 And the talmidim did as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach commanded them, and they prepared the Seder.
20 When erev came, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was sitting bimesibba (reclining) at tish with the Shneym Asar Talmidim. 21 And as they were eating with their Rebbe, he said, Omein, I say to you that one of you will be my betrayer. 22 And much distressed, each one began to say to him, Surely I am not the one, Adoni? 23 But, in reply, he said, The one having dipped the hand into the bowl* with me, this one is my betrayer. 24 Indeed the Bar Enosh† goes as it was written concerning him, but oy to that man through whom the Bar Enosh is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born. 25 And, in reply, Yehudah the betrayer of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, said, Surely I am not the one, Rabbi? Moshiach says to Yehudah, You have said it.
26 And at the Seudah, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, having taken matzah, having made HaMotzi, he broke the‡ matzah, giving the afikoman to the talmidim, and said, Take and eat, this is my basar. 27 And having taken the Cup of Redemption and having made the bracha, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my§ Dahm HaBrit HaChadasha,* which is poured out LARABBIM†(for many) for the selicha (forgiveness) of chattaim (sins). 29 And I say to you, I will by no means drink from now on of this pri hagefen (fruit of the vine) until that Day when I drink it with you chadash (new) in the Malchut Avi.
30 And having sung the Hallel, they went out to the Har HaZeytim. 31 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to them, All of you will be offended at me‡ during this night, for it has been written, HACH ES HAROEH UTEFUTSEN HATSON§(Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered). 32 But after I undergo Techiyas HaMoshiach I will go ahead of you to the Galil.* 33 And, in reply, Kefa said to him, If everyone will be offended at you, I never will be offended. 34 He said to him, Omein, I say to you that balailah hazeh (during this night), before a tarnegol (cock) crows, you will make hakhchashah (denial) of me† shalosh pe'amim (three times). 35 Kefa says to him, Even if it is necessary for me to die al kiddush ha-Shem with you, by no means will I deny you. Likewise all the talmidim spoke also.
36 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach comes with them to a place being called Gat-Shmanim, and Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to the talmidim, Sit here until I go over there and daven. 37 And having taken Kefa and the two sons of Zavdai, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach began to be sorrowful and distressed with agmat nefesh (grief). 38 Then he says to them, My nefesh is deadly grieved, even to the point of mavet. Remain here and stay awake with me. 39 And having gone forward a short distance, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach fell upon his face, davening and saying, Avi, if it is possible, let this Kos pass from me. But not as I will, but as you will.‡ 40 Then he comes to the talmidim and finds them sleeping, and he says to Kefa, So were you not strong enough to be awake for one hour with me? 41 Stay awake and offer tefillos, lest you enter lidey nisayon.§ Indeed the ruach is willing but the basar is weak. 42 Again, for a second time, having left, he davened, saying, Avi, if it is not possible for this to pass by except I drink it, let yeaseh rtzonechah (your will be done).* 43 And having come again, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach found the talmidim sleeping, for their eyes were too heavy to stay open. 44 And having left them again and having gone away, he was davening for the shlishit (third) time, saying the same words. 45 Then he comes to the talmidim and says to them, Sleep on now and take your rest. Hinei! The hour is at hand, and the† Bar Enosh is being betrayed into the hands of chote'im (sinners). 46 Arise, and let us go. Hinei! My betrayer has drawn near.
47 And while he was still speaking hinei! Yehudah, one of the Shneym Asar, came and with him came a great multitude with swords and clubs from the Rashei Hakohanim (Chief Priests) and the Ziknei HaAm (the Elders of the People). 48 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, Whomever I may give the neshikah (kiss), he is the one. Chap (grab) him! 49 And immediately, he approached Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and said, Shalom, Rebbe. And he gave him the neshikah. 50 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to him, Chaver, do what you came for. Then, having approached, they laid hands on Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and arrested him. 51 And hinei! One of the ones with him stretched out his hand, drew his cherev, and struck the servant of the Kohen Gadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to him, Return your cherev into its place; for all who take the sword will die by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I am not able to call upon Avi, and He will provide me now more than Shneym Asar legions of malachim? 54 But how then may the Kitvei Hakodesh be fulfilled that say it must happen thus? 55 At that moment, he said to the crowd, Do you have the chutzpah (nerve) to come out, as against a revolutionary, with swords and clubs to arrest me? Daily in the Beis Hamikdash I was sitting saying my shiurim and you did not arrest me. 56 But this all happened that the Kitvei Hakodesh of the Neviim might be fulfilled. Then the talmidim deserted Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and fled.
57 But the ones having arrested Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach led him away to Caiapha the Kohen Gadol, where the Sofrim and the Zekenim (Elders) were gathered together. 58 And Kefa was following Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach from far away. He followed him as far as the courtyard of the Kohen Gadol and, having gone inside it, Kefa was sitting down with the servants to see the maskana (outcome). 59 And the Rashei Hakohanim and the Sanhedrin all were seeking edut sheker (false testimony of false witnesses) against Yehoshua so that they might put him to death. 60 And they found none, though many shakranim (liars) came forward. At last, two came forward 61 and said, This one said, I am able to bring about a churban (destruction) of the Beis Hamikdash of Hashem and within shloshah yamim to rebuild it. 62 And having got up, the Kohen Gadol said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Do you answer nothing? For what do these men give edut (testimony) against you? 63 But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was silent. And the Kohen Gadol said to him, I adjure you by Hashem, Elohim Chayyim, to tell us if you are the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Ben HaElohim. 64 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach says to him, You said it. But I say to you, From now on you will see the Bar Enosh‡ sitting at the right hand of Gevurah (Power) and his Bias (Coming) will be with ANENEI HASHOMAYIM§(clouds of Heaven). 65 Then the Kohen Gadol made the keriah (rending, tearing of his garments), saying, He has committed Chillul Hashem. What further need do we have of edut? Hinei! Now you have heard the Chillul Hashem. 66 What does it seem to you? And, in reply, they said, He is deserving of mishpat mavet, the death penalty. 67 Then they spat into his face and they struck him and they slapped him, 68 saying, Give us a dvar nevuah, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. Who is the one who hit you?
69 Now Kefa was sitting outside in the courtyard. And one maid approached Kefa, saying, And you were with Yehoshua of the Galil! 70 But Kefa denied it before everyone, saying, I do not have daas of what you are saying. 71 And having gone out to the gate, another saw Kefa and says to the bystanders, There! This one was with Yehoshua of Natzeret! 72 And again Kefa denied it with a shevuah (oath), I do not know the man! 73 And after a little while the bystanders came and said to Kefa, Truly also you are one of them, for even your accent gives you away! 74 Then Kefa began to curse and swear, I do not know the man! And immediately a tarnegol (cock) crowed. 75 And Kefa remembered the word which Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach had said: Before a tarnegol (cock) crows, you will deny me shalosh pe'amim (three times). And Kefa went out and wept bitterly.*
* 26:2 Dt 21:23; Dan 7:13 † 26:5 T.N. A careful reading of this book shows that the Moshiach pointed to the One in Ps 110:1; Dan 7:13, Isaiah 53 and Ps 118:22 and declared that the same person is being referred to in all these Scriptures: Moshiach Adoneinu. ‡ 26:7 table § 26:12 Isa 53:9 Ps 16:9-10 * 26:23 Ex 12:8 † 26:24 Moshiach ‡ 26:26 middle § 26:28 Moshiachʼs, see Isa 53:7-8 * 26:28 Isa 42:6; Jer 31:31-34 † 26:28 Isa 53:11-12 ‡ 26:31 Moshiach § 26:31 Zech 13:7 * 26:32 Mt 28:7 † 26:34 as Moshiach ‡ 26:39 Mt 6:10; 12:50 § 26:41 Mt 6:13 * 26:42 Mt 6:10 † 26:45 Dan 7:13 ‡ 26:64 Moshiach § 26:64 Dan 7:13-14 * 26:75 T.N. Read the two Igrot Kodesh of this Kefa, both of which are attested by early Kehillah tradition or manuscript evidence and which follow Ya'akov's letter.