17. On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the followers came to Jesus. They said, “We will prepare everything for you to eat the Passover meal. Where do you want us to have the meal?”
18. Jesus answered, “Go into the city. Go to a man I know. Tell him that the Teacher says, ‘The chosen time is near. I will have the Passover meal with my followers at your house.’”
19. They obeyed and did what Jesus told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal.
20. In the evening Jesus was at the table with the twelve followers.
21. They were all eating. Then Jesus said, “Believe me when I say that one of you twelve here will hand me over to my enemies.”
22. The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one said, “Lord, surely I am not the one!”
23. Jesus answered, “One who has dipped his bread in the same bowl with me will be the one to hand me over.
24. The Son of Man will suffer what the Scriptures say will happen to him. But it will be very bad for the one who hands over the Son of Man to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
25. Then Judas, the very one who would hand him over, said to Jesus, “Teacher, surely I am not the one you are talking about, am I?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
26. While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it. He broke off some pieces, gave them to his followers and said, “Take this bread and eat it. It is my body.”
27. Then he took a cup of wine, thanked God for it, and gave it to them. He said, “Each one of you drink some of it.
28. This wine is my blood, which will be poured out to forgive the sins of many and begin the new agreement from God to his people.
29. I want you to know, I will not drink this wine again until that day when we are together in my Father’s kingdom and the wine is new. Then I will drink it again with you.”
30. They all sang a song and then went out to the Mount of Olives.
31. Jesus told the followers, “Tonight you will all lose your faith in me. The Scriptures say, ‘I will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will run away.’ Zechariah 13:7
32. But after I am killed, I will rise from death. Then I will go into Galilee. I will be there before you go there.”
33. Peter answered, “All the other followers may lose their faith in you. But my faith will never be shaken.”
34. Jesus answered, “The truth is, tonight you will say you don’t know me. You will deny me three times before the rooster crows.”
35. But Peter answered, “I will never say I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.