1. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.

2. They said, "Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people."

3. When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.

4. There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?

5. It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her.

6. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me.

7. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me.

8. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.

9. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

10. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.

11. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

12. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

13. He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him.

14. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'

15. Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."

16. The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17. When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.

18. And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me."

19. They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, "Surely it is not I?"

20. He said to them, "One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.