1. It was almost time for the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover.
2. The leading priests and teachers of the law wanted to kill Jesus. But they were trying to find a quiet way to do it, because they were afraid of what the people would do.
3. One of Jesus’ twelve apostles was named Judas Iscariot. Satan entered him,
4. and he went and talked with the leading priests and some of the soldiers who guarded the Temple. He talked to them about a way to hand Jesus over to them.
5. The priests were very happy about this. They promised to give Judas money for doing this.
6. He agreed. Then he waited for the best time to hand him over to them. He wanted to do it when no one was around to see it.
7. The Day of Unleavened Bread came. This was the day when the Jews always killed the lambs for the Passover.
8. Jesus said to Peter and John, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat.”
9. They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare the meal?” He said to them,
10. “When you go into the city, you will see a man carrying a jar of water. Follow him. He will go into a house.
11. Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks that you please show us the room where he and his followers can eat the Passover meal.’
12. Then the owner will show you a large room upstairs that is ready for us. Prepare the meal there.”
13. So Peter and John left. Everything happened the way Jesus said. So they prepared the Passover meal.
14. The time came for them to eat the Passover meal. Jesus and the apostles were together at the table.
15. Jesus said to them, “I wanted very much to eat this Passover meal with you before I die.
16. I will never eat another Passover meal until it is given its full meaning in God’s kingdom.”
17. Then Jesus took a cup of wine. He gave thanks to God for it and said, “Take this cup and give it to everyone here.
18. I will never drink wine again until God’s kingdom comes.”