33and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any further.

Whose Son Is the Christ?

35While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?

37David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.

Beware of the Scribes

38In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,39and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.40They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Offering

41As Jesus was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And many rich people put in large amounts.42Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.43Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.44For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Temple Destruction and Other Signs

1As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!”

2“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,4“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”

5Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you.6Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.

7When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.8Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Witnessing to All Nations

9So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.10And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations.11But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.13You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation

14So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.15Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house.16And let no one in the field return for his cloak.17How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!18Pray that this will not occur in the winter.19For those will be days of tribulation unmatched from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and never to be seen again.20If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.21At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.23So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

26At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.27And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.29So also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door.30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.31Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

Readiness at Any Hour

32No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.33Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come.

34It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.35Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.36Otherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping.37And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

1Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.2“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.4Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?5It could have been sold for over three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.

6But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful deed to Me.7The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me.8She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial.9And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.11They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Preparing the Passover

12On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”

13So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him,14and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’15And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

16So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

17When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.18And while they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me.”

19They began to be grieved and to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I?”

20He answered, “It is one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping his hand into the bowl with Me.21The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

22While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”

23Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.24He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.25Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”26And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

29Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I never will.”

30“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

31But Peter kept insisting, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane

32Then they came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”