Matthew Chapter Twenty-Six Poem by Day Williams

1 When he had finished saying all these things,
Jesus told his disciples,2 "As you know,
Passover is two days away−and then

The Son of Man will be delivered to
Be crucified." 3 Just then the chief priests and
The elders of the people gathered in

The palace of the high priest, whose name was
Caiaphas,4 and they plotted to arrest
Jesus in secret and to kill him; 5 "but,

They said, "not while the Feast of Passover
Is going on, or there would be a riot."
6 While Jesus was in Bethany, he was

Simon the Leper's guest.7 A woman came
To him who had an alabaster jar
Of very costly perfume, which she poured

Upon his head as he reclined right at
The table.8 Seeing this, his followers
Became indignant, asking, "Why this waste? "

9 She could have sold this perfume for a mint
And given all the money to the poor."
10 Jesus, who was aware of this, told them,

"Why are you bothering this woman? She has
Done an exquisite thing to me.11 The poor
You'll always have with you, but you will not

Always have me,12 and when she poured this perfume
Upon my body, she did it to get
Me ready for my burial.13 The truth

Is that wherever that this gospel's preached
Throughout the world, what she has done will be
Told too, in memory of her, " 14 and then

A member of the Twelve−the one known as
Judas Iscariot−went to the chief
Priests,15 asking, "How much will you pay me if

I help you get your hands on Jesus? " So
They gave him thirty silver coins.16 From then
On Judas watched out for a chance to hand

Him over.17 On the first day of the Feast
Of Passover, the followers came
To Jesus, asking, "Where shall we prepare

To eat the Passover? " 18 He answered, "Go
Into the city to a certain man
And say to him, ‘The Teacher says: My time

Has come. I'll celebrate the Passover
With my disciples at your house, '" 19 and so
The followers did as he had told them and

Prepared the Passover.20 When evening came,
Jesus was eating at the table with
The Twelve,21 and as they ate, he said, "One

Among you will betray me." 22 They were sad
And each one asked, "Am I the one, Lord? " 23 Jesus
Replied, "The one who's dipped his hand inside

The bowl with me first will betray me,24 for
The Son of Man will go just as it is
Written about him. But alas for him

Who will betray the Son of Man! It would
Be better for that man if he had not
Been born, " 25 then Judas, who was to betray

Him, asked him, "Rabbi, am I the one? " "Yes, "
It's you, " said Jesus.26 As they ate, he took
Some bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to

His followers while he said, "Take and eat;
This is my body, " 27 then he took the cup,
Gave thanks and offered it to them and said,

"Drink from it, all of you.28 This is my blood
Sealing the covenant, which is poured out
For multitudes for the forgiveness of

Their sins.29 Mark my words, I won't drink this wine
Again from now on until that day when I
Will drink it new with you within my Father's

Kingdom." 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went
Out to the Mount of Olives.31 Jesus told
Them then, "This very night you will all fall

Away because of me, for it is written:
"‘I'll strike the shepherd, and the sheep within
The flock will scatter, ' 32 but once I have been

Brought back to life, I'll go ahead of you
To Galilee, " 33 but Peter answered, "Even
If everybody falls away because

Of you, I never will." 34 "The truth is that,
This very night, before the rooster crows,
Jesus said, "three times you'll deny me, " 35 but

Peter vowed, "I would die first. I will not
Desert you, " and the other followers
Said the same thing,36 then Jesus went with his

Disciples to a garden grove known as
Gethsemane, and said to them, "Sit here
While I go over there and pray." 37 He took

Peter and the two sons of Zebedee
Along with him, and he began to be
Mournful and troubled,38 then he said to them,

"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to
The point of death. Stay here and stay awake
With me." 39 He went a little farther, fell

Prostrate upon the ground and prayed, "My Father,
If it is possible, may this cup be
Taken from me, but I want your will, not

Mine, " 40 then he went back to his followers
And found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep
Awake with me for one hour? " he asked Peter.

41 "Stay vigilant and pray so that you will
Not fall into temptation, for the spirit
Is willing, but the body's weak." 42 He went

Away a second time and prayed, "My Father,
If it's not possible for you to take
Away this cup unless I drink it, may

Your will be done." 43 When he returned, again
He found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy,
44 So he left them and went away once more

And prayed the third time, saying the same thing,
45 Then he returned to the disciples and
Told them, "Are you still sleeping... resting? Look,

The hour is near; the Son of Man has been
Betrayed into the hands of sinners.46 Rise,
Let us go! Here comes my betrayer! " 47 While

He was still speaking, Judas came, one of
The Twelve, and with him was a large crowd armed
With swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and

The elders of the people.48 The betrayer
Had pre-arranged a sign with them: "The one
I kiss is he; you should arrest him." 49 He


Went instantly to Jesus and he said,
"Rabbi, hello! " and kissed him.50 Jesus said,
"Friend, go ahead and do what you came for."

The men stepped forward then, seized Jesus and
Arrested him.51 A man with Jesus drew
His sword out, struck the high priest's servant and

Cut off his ear.52 "Put back your sword, " said Jesus
To him, "for all who draw the sword will die
By swords.53 Do you not realize that I

Could call upon my Father, and he would
At once send me more than twelve legions of
Angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be

Fulfilled that say it must occur this way? "
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am
I leading a rebellion, that you have

Come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
Each day I sat and taught in temple courts,
And you did not arrest me,56 but this has

All taken place so that the writings of
The prophets might be realized, " then all
The followers deserted him and fled;

57 Then those who had arrested Jesus led
Him off to Caiaphas, the high priest, where
The teachers of the law and elders had

Assembled.58 Meanwhile, Peter followed at
A distance, right up to the courtyard of
The high priest. He went in and sat down with

The guards to see the outcome.59 The chief priests
And the entire Sanhedrin looked for false
Witnesses as to Jesus so that they

Could have him put to death,60 but they did not
Find any who agreed, though many false
Witnesses testified. At last two came

Up 61 and declared, "This man contended, ‘I
Am able to destroy God's temple and
Rebuild it in three days, '" 62 then the high priest

Stood up and said to Jesus, "Won't you talk?
What of this testimony from these men? "
63 But Jesus said no words. The high priest told

Him, "By the living God I charge you: Tell
Us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
64 "Yes, it is as you say, " said Jesus. "But

I tell you: In the future you will see
The Son of Man, and he'll be sitting at
The right hand of the Mighty One and coming

On heaven's clouds." 65 At once the high priest tore
His clothes and said, "He's spoken blasphemy!
Why do we need more witnesses? Look, now

You've heard the blasphemy.66 What do you think? "
They shouted, "Death! " 67 and spit in Jesus' face
And struck him with their fists. Some others slapped

Him,68 saying, "Prophesy to us, O Christ.
Who hit you? " 69 Peter was sitting out in
The courtyard, and a servant girl approached

Him, saying, "You too were with Jesus of
Galilee, " 70 and yet he denied it in
Front of them. "I don't even know what you're

Talking about, " he said,71 then he went to
The gateway, where another girl saw him
And told the people there, "This man was with

Jesus of Nazareth, " 72 but he again
Denied it, with an oath: "I do not know
The man! " 73 A little time went by, then those

Standing there went to Peter, saying, "Surely
You're one of them, because we can tell by
Your accent, " 74 then he started calling down

Curses upon himself and swore to them,
"I do not know the man! " Immediately
A rooster crowed,75 and Peter then recalled

The words that Jesus had declared: "Before
The rooster crows, you will disown me three
Times." And he went out, weeping bitterly.