New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Mark 14
1
The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for a clever way to arrest Jesus. They wanted to kill him.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 13:1
3
Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the table in the home of a man named Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came with a special sealed jar of very expensive perfume. It was made out of pure nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus' head.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 11:2
4
Some of the people there became angry. They said to one another, "Why waste this perfume?
5
It could have been sold for more than a year's pay. The money could have been given to poor people." So they found fault with the woman.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 13:29
6
"Leave her alone," Jesus said. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
Reference
7
You will always have poor people with you. You can help them any time you want to. But you will not always have me.
Reference
9
What I'm about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere the good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her."
Reference
10
Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve. He went to the chief priests to hand Jesus over to them.
Reference
11
They were delighted to hear that he would do this. They promised to give Judas money. So he watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Timothy 6:10
12
It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That was the time to sacrifice the Passover lamb. Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?"
Reference
13
So he sent out two of his disciples. He told them, "Go into the city. A man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
14
He will enter a house. Say to its owner, 'The Teacher asks, "Where is my guest room? Where can I eat the Passover meal with my disciples?" '
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 3:20
15
He will show you a large upstairs room. It will have furniture and will be ready. Prepare for us to eat there."
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 1:13
16
The disciples left and went into the city. They found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.
17
When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 22:14
18
While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. One of you who is eating with me will hand me over to my enemies."
Reference
19
The disciples became sad. One by one they said to him, "It's not I, is it?"
20
"It is one of the Twelve," Jesus replied. "It is the one who dips bread into the bowl with me.
Reference
Parallel theme
John 13:26
21
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Reference
22
While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, "Take it. This is my body."
Reference
24
"This is my blood of the new covenant," he said to them. "It is poured out for many.
Reference
Blood
1 Corinthians 10:16
John 6:53
Covenant
Exodus 24:8
Zechariah 9:11
1 Corinthians 11:25
Parallel theme
Mark 10:45
25
What I'm about to tell you is true. I won't drink wine with you again until the day I drink it in God's kingdom."
Reference
27
"You will all turn away," Jesus told the disciples. "It is written, " 'I will strike the shepherd down. Then the sheep will be scattered.' --(Zechariah 13:7)
Reference
28
But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 16:7
Matthew 28:16
Matthew 28:10
John 21:1
Resurrection
Matthew 28:7
Matthew 26:32
Matthew 16:21
29
Peter said, "All the others may turn away. But I will not."
30
"What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus answered. "It will happen today, this very night. Before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will say three times that you don't know me."
Reference
References Jesus
John 13:38
31
But Peter would not give in. He said, "I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don't know you." And all the others said the same thing.
Reference
32
Jesus and his disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, "Sit here while I pray."
Reference
34
"My soul is very sad. I feel close to death," he said to them. "Stay here. Keep watch."
Reference
35
He went a little farther. Then he fell to the ground. He prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass by him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 14:41
36
["Abba]," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want." Abba means Father.
Reference
37
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Couldn't you keep watch for one hour?
Reference
38
Watch and pray. Then you won't fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing. But the body is weak."
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:42
Mark 14:34
1 Peter 5:8
1 Corinthians 16:13
Matthew 25:13
Prayer
Luke 21:36
Luke 22:40
Luke 22:46
Spirit
Matthew 26:41
Galatians 5:17
40
Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn't keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him.
41
Jesus returned the third time. He said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look! The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners.
Reference
42
Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!"
Reference
Resurrection
Matthew 26:46
43
Just as Jesus was speaking, Judas appeared. He was one of the Twelve. A crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders had sent them.
Reference
Word
Acts 1:16
44
Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, had arranged a signal with them. "The one I kiss is the man," he said. "Arrest him and have the guards lead him away."
45
So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed him.
46
The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
47
Then one of those standing nearby pulled his sword out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48
"Am I leading a band of armed men against you?" asked Jesus. "Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 26:18
49
Every day I was with you. I taught in the temple courtyard, and you didn't arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true."
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 1:22
Luke 22:37
Temple
John 18:20
John 8:2
Mark 12:35
Word
Matthew 26:56
Matthew 26:54
51
A young man was following Jesus. The man was wearing nothing but a piece of linen cloth. When the crowd grabbed him,
52
he ran away naked. He left his clothing behind.
53
The crowd took Jesus to the high priest. All of the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law came together.
54
Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards. He warmed himself at the fire.
Reference
55
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. But they did not find any proof.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 5:22
56
Many witnesses lied about him. But their stories did not agree.
57
Then some stood up. They gave false witness about him.
58
"We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made by human hands. In three days I will build another temple, not made by human hands.' "
Reference
Creation
Hebrews 9:11
2 Corinthians 5:1
Hebrews 9:24
Acts 7:48
Parallel theme
Daniel 2:34
Temple
John 2:19
Mark 15:29
59
But what they said did not agree.
60
Then the high priest stood up in front of them. He asked Jesus, "Aren't you going to answer? What are these charges these men are bringing against you?"
61
But Jesus remained silent. He gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ? Are you the Son of the Blessed One?"
Reference
62
"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 110:1
Hebrews 1:3
Mark 13:26
Matthew 24:30
Luke 22:69
Revelation 1:7
Mark 16:19
Revelation 20:11
References Jesus
Matthew 26:64
Hebrews 12:2
64
"You have heard him say a very evil thing against God. What do you think?" They all found him guilty and said he must die.
Reference
65
Then some began to spit at him. They blindfolded him. They hit him with their fists. They said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.
Reference
67
When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with Jesus, that Nazarene," she said.
68
But Peter said he had not been with him. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said. He went out to the entrance to the courtyard.
Reference
Parallel theme
Mark 14:72
69
The servant saw him there. She said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."
70
Again he said he was not. After a little while, those standing nearby said to Peter, "You must be one of them. You are from Galilee."
Reference
71
He began to call down curses on himself. He took an oath and said to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about!"
Summary of Mark 14
Mark 14 opens with the religious leaders secretly planning how they can arrest and kill Jesus, but their fear of the Passover crowds prevents them from acting openly, creating the atmosphere of secrecy and tension that surrounds the final days of Jesus' ministry.
While Jesus is staying in Bethany, an unnamed woman enters with an extremely valuable jar of perfume and pours it over His head, an act that some people criticize because they believe the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.
Jesus defends the woman and explains that she has done something beautiful because she has anointed His body beforehand for burial, revealing that her act of devotion has significance far beyond its financial value.
Her sacrifice stands in sharp contrast with the actions of Judas, who goes to the chief priests and offers to hand Jesus over to them in exchange for money, turning one of Jesus' own disciples into the person who will facilitate His arrest.
The disciples then prepare the Passover meal, and Jesus gathers them together for what becomes known as the Last Supper, where He announces that one of the Twelve will betray Him.
During the meal, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples as a symbol of His body, and He then takes the cup and identifies it with His blood of the covenant poured out for many.
Through these actions, Jesus interprets His approaching death not as an accidental defeat but as a deliberate sacrifice connected with God's covenant purposes, while also pointing beyond His death toward the future fulfillment of God's kingdom.
After the meal, Jesus and the disciples go to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus warns them that they will all fall away, quoting the image of the shepherd being struck and the sheep being scattered.
Peter strongly insists that he will remain faithful even if everyone else abandons Jesus, but Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows twice.
The disciples confidently insist that they will never abandon Jesus, yet their confidence is soon exposed as inadequate when the crisis actually arrives.
At Gethsemane, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with Him and begins to experience profound sorrow and distress as He faces the suffering that lies immediately ahead.
Jesus falls to the ground and prays that, if possible, the coming cup of suffering might be taken away, yet He submits Himself completely to the Father's will, demonstrating that His obedience is not effortless but involves genuine human anguish and deliberate surrender.
Three times Jesus finds His closest disciples sleeping instead of praying, and His repeated instruction to watch and pray highlights the contrast between His spiritual alertness and their physical and spiritual weakness.
Then Judas arrives with an armed group sent by the religious authorities, identifies Jesus with a kiss, and the soldiers arrest Him.
One of Jesus' followers attempts to resist by using a sword, but Jesus does not respond by organizing an armed defense, and He points out that the authorities are treating Him like a dangerous criminal even though He has taught openly in the temple.
At the moment of arrest, all the disciples abandon Jesus and flee, fulfilling His prediction that the shepherd would be struck and the sheep scattered.
Jesus is taken to the high priest, where the chief priests, elders, and teachers of the law gather and attempt to find testimony that can justify putting Him to death.
The problem is that the witnesses give contradictory testimony, and even the accusations concerning Jesus' statements about the temple do not agree with one another.
When the high priest finally asks Jesus directly whether He is the Messiah and Son of the Blessed One, Jesus gives a decisive answer and identifies Himself with the Son of Man who will sit at the right hand of divine power and come with the clouds.
This declaration draws upon the imagery of Daniel 7, written in the 6th century BC, and presents Jesus not merely as a political claimant but as the heavenly figure who receives authority and glory from God.
The high priest responds by tearing his clothes and declaring that Jesus has committed blasphemy, after which the council condemns Him and the guards begin humiliating and beating Him.
While Jesus is being abused inside, Peter remains outside in the courtyard, where he is recognized as one of Jesus' followers.
Despite his earlier promise that he would never abandon Jesus, Peter denies knowing Him, then denies Him again when questioned a second time, and finally denies Him a third time when bystanders identify him as a Galilean follower of Jesus.
Immediately after the third denial, the rooster crows a second time, and Peter remembers Jesus' prediction, realizing that his confidence in his own strength has failed.
Peter breaks down and weeps, providing one of the chapter's most powerful examples of human weakness, because the disciple who sincerely believed he would die rather than deny Jesus discovers that fear can overcome even sincere intentions.
Mark 14 therefore presents a series of striking contrasts: the woman gives something precious while Judas seeks money, Jesus willingly submits to God's will while the disciples struggle to remain awake, Jesus remains faithful under interrogation while Peter denies Him under pressure, and Jesus accepts suffering while His followers flee.
The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus understands exactly what is coming, yet He continues forward willingly, while those closest to Him repeatedly misunderstand, resist, sleep, betray, abandon, or deny Him.
The central message is that Jesus' suffering and death are not the result of His losing control of events, but the culmination of His willing obedience to God's purposes, expressed through the Last Supper, His prayer in Gethsemane, His refusal to respond violently, and His open acknowledgment of His identity before the religious authorities.
At the same time, Mark 14 exposes the weakness of human discipleship, showing that sincere promises are not enough when they depend entirely upon human confidence, because Peter's failure demonstrates the need for humility, watchfulness, prayer, and dependence upon God.
Mark 14 ultimately presents Jesus as the faithful Son who willingly accepts the cup of suffering and gives Himself for others, while contrasting His unwavering obedience with the betrayal of Judas, the sleepiness and flight of the disciples, and Peter's painful denial, creating a powerful picture of divine faithfulness standing firm in the midst of human failure.
While Jesus is staying in Bethany, an unnamed woman enters with an extremely valuable jar of perfume and pours it over His head, an act that some people criticize because they believe the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.
Jesus defends the woman and explains that she has done something beautiful because she has anointed His body beforehand for burial, revealing that her act of devotion has significance far beyond its financial value.
Her sacrifice stands in sharp contrast with the actions of Judas, who goes to the chief priests and offers to hand Jesus over to them in exchange for money, turning one of Jesus' own disciples into the person who will facilitate His arrest.
The disciples then prepare the Passover meal, and Jesus gathers them together for what becomes known as the Last Supper, where He announces that one of the Twelve will betray Him.
During the meal, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to the disciples as a symbol of His body, and He then takes the cup and identifies it with His blood of the covenant poured out for many.
Through these actions, Jesus interprets His approaching death not as an accidental defeat but as a deliberate sacrifice connected with God's covenant purposes, while also pointing beyond His death toward the future fulfillment of God's kingdom.
After the meal, Jesus and the disciples go to the Mount of Olives, where Jesus warns them that they will all fall away, quoting the image of the shepherd being struck and the sheep being scattered.
Peter strongly insists that he will remain faithful even if everyone else abandons Jesus, but Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows twice.
The disciples confidently insist that they will never abandon Jesus, yet their confidence is soon exposed as inadequate when the crisis actually arrives.
At Gethsemane, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with Him and begins to experience profound sorrow and distress as He faces the suffering that lies immediately ahead.
Jesus falls to the ground and prays that, if possible, the coming cup of suffering might be taken away, yet He submits Himself completely to the Father's will, demonstrating that His obedience is not effortless but involves genuine human anguish and deliberate surrender.
Three times Jesus finds His closest disciples sleeping instead of praying, and His repeated instruction to watch and pray highlights the contrast between His spiritual alertness and their physical and spiritual weakness.
Then Judas arrives with an armed group sent by the religious authorities, identifies Jesus with a kiss, and the soldiers arrest Him.
One of Jesus' followers attempts to resist by using a sword, but Jesus does not respond by organizing an armed defense, and He points out that the authorities are treating Him like a dangerous criminal even though He has taught openly in the temple.
At the moment of arrest, all the disciples abandon Jesus and flee, fulfilling His prediction that the shepherd would be struck and the sheep scattered.
Jesus is taken to the high priest, where the chief priests, elders, and teachers of the law gather and attempt to find testimony that can justify putting Him to death.
The problem is that the witnesses give contradictory testimony, and even the accusations concerning Jesus' statements about the temple do not agree with one another.
When the high priest finally asks Jesus directly whether He is the Messiah and Son of the Blessed One, Jesus gives a decisive answer and identifies Himself with the Son of Man who will sit at the right hand of divine power and come with the clouds.
This declaration draws upon the imagery of Daniel 7, written in the 6th century BC, and presents Jesus not merely as a political claimant but as the heavenly figure who receives authority and glory from God.
The high priest responds by tearing his clothes and declaring that Jesus has committed blasphemy, after which the council condemns Him and the guards begin humiliating and beating Him.
While Jesus is being abused inside, Peter remains outside in the courtyard, where he is recognized as one of Jesus' followers.
Despite his earlier promise that he would never abandon Jesus, Peter denies knowing Him, then denies Him again when questioned a second time, and finally denies Him a third time when bystanders identify him as a Galilean follower of Jesus.
Immediately after the third denial, the rooster crows a second time, and Peter remembers Jesus' prediction, realizing that his confidence in his own strength has failed.
Peter breaks down and weeps, providing one of the chapter's most powerful examples of human weakness, because the disciple who sincerely believed he would die rather than deny Jesus discovers that fear can overcome even sincere intentions.
Mark 14 therefore presents a series of striking contrasts: the woman gives something precious while Judas seeks money, Jesus willingly submits to God's will while the disciples struggle to remain awake, Jesus remains faithful under interrogation while Peter denies Him under pressure, and Jesus accepts suffering while His followers flee.
The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus understands exactly what is coming, yet He continues forward willingly, while those closest to Him repeatedly misunderstand, resist, sleep, betray, abandon, or deny Him.
The central message is that Jesus' suffering and death are not the result of His losing control of events, but the culmination of His willing obedience to God's purposes, expressed through the Last Supper, His prayer in Gethsemane, His refusal to respond violently, and His open acknowledgment of His identity before the religious authorities.
At the same time, Mark 14 exposes the weakness of human discipleship, showing that sincere promises are not enough when they depend entirely upon human confidence, because Peter's failure demonstrates the need for humility, watchfulness, prayer, and dependence upon God.
Mark 14 ultimately presents Jesus as the faithful Son who willingly accepts the cup of suffering and gives Himself for others, while contrasting His unwavering obedience with the betrayal of Judas, the sleepiness and flight of the disciples, and Peter's painful denial, creating a powerful picture of divine faithfulness standing firm in the midst of human failure.