Gospel according to Matthew

It happened, when Jesus had finished all these words, that he said to his disciples,

"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."

Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.

They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.

But they said, "Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people."

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor."

But Jesus, knowing this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? Because she has done a good work for me.

For you always have the poor with you; but you don't always have me.

For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

Most assuredly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her."

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests,

and said, "What are you willing to give me, that I should deliver him to you?" They weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.

From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He said, "Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."'"

The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.

Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.