Luke 22: Verse-by-Verse Commentary (with Videos)

¹Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,

²and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.

³Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.

⁴And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.

⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money.

⁶Judas consented, and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed.

⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹“Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked.

¹⁰He answered, “When you enter the city, a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him to the house he enters,

¹¹and say to the owner of that house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’

¹²And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³So they went and found it just as Jesus had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.

¹⁵And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.

¹⁶For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.

¹⁸For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

²⁰In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

²¹Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table.

²²Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.”

²³Then they began to question among themselves which of them was going to do this.

²⁴A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

²⁵So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors.

²⁶But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.

²⁷For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials.

²⁹And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me,

³⁰so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you like wheat.

³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

³³“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

³⁴But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

³⁵Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶“Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.

³⁷For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about Me is reaching its fulfillment.”

³⁸So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” He answered.

³⁹Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him.

⁴⁰When He came to the place, He told them, “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”

⁴¹And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed,

⁴²“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

⁴³Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

⁴⁴And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

⁴⁵When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.

⁴⁶“Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

⁴⁷While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

⁴⁸But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”

⁵⁰And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

⁵¹But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?

⁵³Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”

⁵⁴Then they seized Jesus, led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance.

⁵⁵When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

⁵⁶A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said.

⁵⁷But Peter denied it. “Woman, I do not know Him,” he said.

⁵⁸A short time later, someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”

⁵⁹About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

⁶⁰“Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

⁶¹And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word that the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.”

⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

⁶³The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.

⁶⁴They blindfolded Him and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?”

⁶⁵And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.

⁶⁶At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together. They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin and said,

⁶⁷“If You are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe.

⁶⁸And if I ask you a question, you will not answer.

⁶⁹But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

⁷⁰So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”

⁷¹“Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.”