St Marks Gospel in Worldwide English

The plan to catch Jesus

1. The Passover Feast and the feast with bread that has no yeast in it was two days later. The chief priests and the scribes planned how to catch Jesus by some trick. They wanted to kill him.
2. But they said, `Let us not do it on the day of the feast. We do not want the people to start fighting about it.'

   Jesus at Bethany

3. When Jesus was in the town of Bethany, he was in Simon's house. Simon had leprosy. While Jesus sat at the table, a woman came to him. She had a bottle of oil. It smelled very nice and cost much money. She broke the bottle and poured the oil on Jesus' head.
4. Some people there were angry. They said, `Why was this oil wasted like that?
5. The oil might have been sold for a lot of money. Then the money could have been given to poor people.' They said to the woman, `You should not have done this!'
6. But Jesus said, `Leave the woman alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good thing to me.
7. You will always have poor people with you. Any time you want to, you can do good to them. But I will not always be with you.
8. She has done what she could. She has put oil on my body to make me ready to be buried.
9. I tell you the truth. Any place in the whole world where people tell the good news, people will also tell what she has done. People will remember her because of it.'
10. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests. He told them how he could help them catch Jesus.
11. They were glad when they heard that. They promised to give him money. So he watched for a good way to help them catch Jesus.

    Jesus eats the Passover Feast with his disciples

12. It was the first day of the feast with bread that has no yeast in it. The sheep had to be killed for the Passover Feast. His disciples asked Jesus `Where do you want us to make ready for you to eat the Passover Feast?'
13. He sent two of his disciples and said to them, `Go into the city. There you will meet a man who is carrying a pot of water. Follow him.
14. When he goes into a house, talk to the master of the house. Say to him, "The Teacher says, `Where is my room where I can eat the Passover Feast with my disciples?'"
15. The man will show you a large room upstairs. It will be all fixed up and ready. Get the Passover food ready for us there.'
16. The disciples went to the city. They found everything just as he had said. There they made the Passover food ready.
17. In the evening he came with the twelve disciples.
18. While they were sitting at the table eating, Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. One of you who is eating with me will give me over to people who hate me.'
19. They were sad and troubled. One after the other began to say to him, `Lord, is it I?'
20. Jesus answered them, `It is one of you twelve. It is the one who puts his hand in the same dish with me.
21. The Son of Man will go just as the holy writings tell about him. But the man who gives him over will have trouble. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born!'
22. As they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to the disciples and said, `Take this bread and eat it. It is my body.'
23. He also took a cup. He thanked God for it. Then he gave it to them. They all drank some of it.
24. Then he said to them, `This is my blood. It is given for many people. It makes the agreement strong.
25. I tell you the truth. I will not drink any of the fruit of the vine again until I drink some of it new in the kingdom of God.'
26. They sang a song and then went out to the hill called Olives.
27. Jesus said to them, `All of you will leave me this night. the holy writings say, "I will kill the one who takes care of the sheep. And the sheep will run away."
28. But after I am raised from death, I will go to Galilee to meet you.'
29. Peter said, `Even if all the others leave you, I will never leave you.'
30. Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This very night, before the cock calls two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.'
31. Peter said, `Even if I must die with you, I will never say I do not know you!' They all said the same thing.

    Jesus talks with God

32. Then they came to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to his disciples, `Sit here. I will go and talk with God.'
33. He took Peter, James, and John along with him. Jesus began to be sad and troubled.
34. He said to them, `My heart is very sad. I am almost dying! Stay here and watch.'
35. Jesus went on a little farther. He fell on the ground and asked God that, if it could be so, this big trouble might pass by him.
36. He said, `Oh, my Father, you can do all things. Take this cup away from me. But do not do what I want, but what you want.'
37. Jesus went back and found the disciples sleeping. He said to Peter, `Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
38. All of you must watch and talk with God so that you will not do wrong. A person's heart can want to do it, but his body is weak.'
39. Jesus went away again and said the same words to God again.
40. Jesus went back again and found the disciples sleeping. They could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Jesus.
41. Then he went back the third time. He said, `Are you still sleeping and resting?. It is enough. The time has come now. The Son of Man is given over to bad people.
42. Get up. Let us go. Look, here comes the one who will give me over to people who hate me!'

    The people catch Jesus

43. While he was saying this, Judas came. He was one of the twelve disciples. Many people came with him. They had long knives or swords and big sticks. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders had sent them.
44. The man who was going to help them catch Jesus had told them that he would give them a sign. He said, `The man that I kiss is the one. Catch him and take him away safely.'
45. So when he came, he went to Jesus right away. He said, `Master!' And he kissed him.
46. Then they caught Jesus and held him.
47. One of the men standing by took his sword. He cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.
48. Jesus said, `Have you come to take me with knives and sticks the way you would take a man who steals?
49. Every day I was with you in the temple and taught. You did not catch me then. But what the holy writings say will come true.'
50. Then all of the disciples left Jesus and ran away.
51. A young man went with Jesus. He had a piece of cloth about him. The people caught him.
52. But he left the cloth behind and ran away without any clothes on.

    Jesus is taken to the high priest

53. The people took Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the leaders, and the scribes met there.
54. Peter followed far behind Jesus. He went into the yard of the high priest's house. He sat down with the people who worked for the high priest. He warmed himself by the fire.
55. The chief priests, and all the judges of the court tried to find men to say Jesus had done something wrong so they could kill him. But they found none.
56. Many people came and said things that were not true. But one said this thing and the other said that thing.
57. Then some stood up to talk against Jesus.
58. They said, `We heard him say, "I will break down this temple which people have built with hands. In three days I will build another temple but not with hands."
59. Others said, `No, that is not what he said.'
60. The high priest stood up among the people and asked Jesus, `Have you no answer? What do you have to say about this? They have said something against you.'
61. But Jesus said nothing at all. Then the high priest asked him, `Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?'
62. Jesus answered, `Yes, I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the One who has all power. You will see him coming on the clouds of the sky!'
63. Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, `We do not need any more proof against him.
64. What he has said is wrong! What do you think?' They all said, `He should be killed.'
65. Some people began to spit on him. They covered his face and hit him. They laughed at him and said, `Tell us if you know who hit you!' The guards took him away and hit him as they went.

    What Peter says about Jesus

66. Peter sat out in the yard. A servant girl who worked for the high priest came.
67. She saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She looked at him and said, `You were also with Jesus of Nazareth.'
68. But Peter said, `I do not know or understand what you are talking about.' Peter went out to the gate. Then a cock called.
69. A girl saw Peter there and said to the other people standing by, `This man is one of them.'
70. But again Peter said he was not. A little while after, those standing around said to Peter, `Surely you are one of them also. You come from Galilee.'
71. Then Peter began to curse and say bad words. He said, `I do not know this man you are talking about!'
72. Right then the cock called a second time and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, `Before the cock calls two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.' Then he broke down and cried.

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