Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 26

THE COUNCIL DECIDES HIS FATE

1After he had finished speaking about these things, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to the ones who walked the road with him, 2“As you know, the Passover festival will begin after two days. It is during this time that the True Human Being will be taken captive and then killed on a tree-pole—the cross.”

3At that time the head holy men and the elders of the people gathered in the lodge of Hollow in the Rock (Caiaphas), the chief holy man. 4They schemed together to take Creator Sets Free (Jesus) captive on the sly and then kill him.

5“We should not do this during the festival,” they said, “or there could be an uprising among the people.”

PREPARED FOR BURIAL

6Creator Sets Free (Jesus) went to House of Figs (Bethany) to the home of Hearing Man (Simon), who had suffered from a skin disease. 7While there, a woman with a pottery jar full of costly, sweet-smelling ointment came to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and poured it over his head as he sat on the floor near the table.

8His followers, when they saw this, became angry and said to each other, “Why waste this costly ointment? 9It could have been traded for food and goods to give to the ones who have none.”

10Creator Sets Free (Jesus) heard them and said, “Why are you troubling this woman? She has done a good thing for me. 11You can help the poor any time, for they will always be with you, but I will not. 12By pouring this sweet-smelling ointment on my body, she has performed a preparation ceremony for my burial. 13I speak from my heart, when the good story is told all over the world, her story will also be told to remember what she has done.”

14It was then that Speaks Well Of (Judas) son of Village Man (Iscariot), one of the twelve, left and went to the head holy men. 15“How much is he worth to you,” he asked them. “What price will you pay if I turn him over to you?”

They agreed on thirty pieces of silver and paid him. 16So from then on he looked for a good time to betray Creator Sets Free (Jesus).

PREPARING FOR THE CEREMONIAL MEAL

17It was now the first day of the Festival of Bread Without Yeast. His followers came to Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and asked, “Where do you want us to go to prepare for the eating of the ceremonial Passover meal?”

18“Go into the village,” he instructed them, “and there you will meet a certain man and say to him, ‘Our Wisdomkeeper says, “My time has now come. I will eat the Passover meal with my followers here in your home.”’”

19They did as he said and made everything ready for the ceremonial meal.

THE CEREMONIAL MEAL BEGINS

20As the sun was setting, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) sat down around the table with his twelve followers. 21During the meal he spoke out, “I speak from my heart, one of you will turn against me.”

22They were all worried and troubled by this and began to ask him one by one, “Wisdomkeeper, am I the one?”

23“It is the one who dipped his hand into the dish with me who will turn against me,” he said with a look of sorrow. 24“The True Human Being must walk the path chosen for him, as the Sacred Teachings have said, but it will not go well for the one who betrays him. It would be better if that one had never been born.”

25Speaks Well Of (Judas), the betrayer, looked at Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and asked, “Wisdomkeeper, you do not think I am the one, do you?”

“You have said it with your own words,” he answered back.

A NEW PEACE TREATY

26Then, during the meal, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took some of the frybread, lifted it up, and gave thanks. He broke it into pieces, gave some to each of his followers, and said, “This is my body. Take it and eat it.”

27Then he took a cup of wine, lifted it up, and gave thanks. He gave it to his followers and said, “Drink from this cup, all of you, 28for this is my lifeblood of the new peace treaty, poured out to release many people from their broken ways.

29“I tell you now, I will not drink from the fruit of this vine again until I drink it with you in a fresh and new way when we walk together on my Father’s good road.”

30Then, after they sang a ceremonial song together, they walked to Olive Mountain.

THE SHEEP WILL SCATTER

As they walked to Olive Mountain, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) began to warn his followers about what they would face in the night ahead.

31“This very night all of you will stumble on the path and turn away because of what will happen to me. The Sacred Teachings have made it clear, ‘Attack the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.’#26:31 Zechariah 13:7 32But after I have risen from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Circle of Nations (Galilee).”

33Stands on the Rock (Peter) answered him, “Even if all others stumble and turn away, I will not!”

34“I speak from my heart,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said back to him, “before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you know me.”

35“Not so, my Wisdomkeeper!” Stands on the Rock (Peter) replied. “Even if I must die with you, I will never turn away!”

Then all of his followers said the same thing.

PRAYING IN THE GARDEN

36Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and his followers came to the place called Where the Olives Are Crushed (Gethsemane), a garden with many olive trees.

“Sit here,” he told his followers, “while I go over there and pray.”

37He then took with him Stands on the Rock (Peter) and He Takes Over (James)and He Shows Goodwill (John), the two sons of Gift of Creator (Zebedee), to a place not far from the others.

As Creator Sets Free (Jesus) began to send his voice to the Great Spirit, he became deeply troubled and full of sorrow.

38“My heart is full of sorrow to the point of death,” he said to his three followers who were with him. “Stay here and watch over me.”

39He went a little ways from them, dropped his face to the ground, and prayed. “O Great Father,” he cried out, “is there a way to take this cup of bitter suffering away from me? But I want only your way, not mine.”

40He then got up and found his followers sleeping.

“Could you not stay awake with me for even one hour?” he said to Stands on the Rock (Peter). 41“Stay awake and pray so that you will be able to face the rough trail ahead of you. Your human body is weak, but your spirit is strong.”

42Once again he went from them and prayed, “My Father, if this is the only way, then, as you desire, I will drink deeply of this bitter cup.”

The night was silent and cold as Creator Sets Free (Jesus) trembled and prayed. The powers of darkness were pressing in hard. After a while he returned to the three followers, who were supposed to be praying.

43He found them and saw that their eyes were heavy with sleep, 44so he went away from them a third time and prayed the same words.

45He then returned to his followers and said to them, “Why are you still sleeping? The time is upon us! The True Human Being has been betrayed into the hands of the ones with bad hearts. 46Rise up! We must go! Look! The one who has turned against me is here!”

BETRAYED!

47Right then, while Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was speaking, a crowd of people stormed into the garden. Speaks Well Of (Judas), one of the twelve, was leading the way. Along with the betrayer came the large crowd, sent from the head holy men and elders of the tribal council, carrying clubs and long knives.

The air was filled with the smell of burning torches as the crowd pushed their way forward.

48The betrayer had given them a sign. “Take hold of the one I greet with a kiss, and arrest him.”

49Speaks Well Of (Judas) walked right up to Creator Sets Free (Jesus).

“Greetings, Wisdomkeeper,” he said and then kissed him.

50“My friend,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to his face, “Do what you came to do.”

The crowd moved in and took hold of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) to arrest him. 51But then one of his followers drew his long knife from its sheath and cut off the ear of the servant of the chief holy man.

52“Put away your long knife,” he said to his follower, “for all who take up weapons will also die by them! 53Do you not know that if I called out to my Father, he would send to me many thousands#26:53 Lit. twelve legions, about sixty thousand of spirit-messengers? 54But if I did, how would the ancient prophecies that foretold this find their full meaning?”

55Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then turned to the ones who had come to take him and said, “Why do you come at me with clubs and long knives as if I were a thief? Did I not sit with you every day in the sacred lodge? Why did you not take me then? 56But now the words of the prophets have come true and found their full meaning.”

After hearing him say this, all his followers turned and ran away.

HIS TRIAL BEFORE THE COUNCIL

57The ones who had arrested him dragged him away and brought him to Hollow in the Rock (Caiaphas), the chief holy man. The scroll keepers and elders of the Grand Council had gathered there to question him.

58Stands on the Rock (Peter) followed from a safe distance until they came to the courtyard of the chief holy man. He then went inside through the gate, sat down next to the lodge guards, and waited to see what would happen.

59The head holy men and the Grand Council kept trying to find someone who would speak against Creator Sets Free (Jesus) falsely so they could put him to death, 60but found none who could agree, even though many came forward and spoke lies against him.

Finally two men came forward 61and said, “We heard him say, ‘I can tear down Creator’s sacred lodge and build it again in three days.’”

62The chief holy man stood up before all. He said to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), “Have you no answer to these accusations?”

63Creator Sets Free (Jesus) remained silent before all and said nothing to defend himself.

Hollow in the Rock (Caiaphas) was frustrated! His face became red with anger, and his voice thundered.

“On your honor before the living Creator I call on you to speak the truth!” he demanded. “Tell us whether you are the Chosen One, the Son of the Great Spirit!”

The room became silent. Time seemed to stand still. The air was filled with tension as they waited for his answer. When he spoke, every ear and eye in the room were fixed on him, for he must now answer.

64“What you have said is right!” he answered them. “But listen to this: from now on you will see the True Human Being sitting at the right hand of the Great Power when he comes riding the clouds of the spirit-world above!”#26:64 Daniel 7:13-14

65 They could not believe their ears! The chief holy man tore his outer garments and cried out, “He is guilty! His words have insulted the Great Spirit!”

He turned to the council of elders and said, “You have heard it with your own ears! Why do we even need witnesses? 66What does the council have to say?”

With one voice the council answered, “Death is what he deserves!”

67Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists, and others slapped him with the back of their hands. 68“Prophesy to us, Chosen One,” they taunted him. “Tell us who struck you!”

STANDS ON THE ROCK DENIES THE CHOSEN ONE

69Stands on the Rock (Peter) was still outside sitting in the courtyard.

A servant girl looked at him and said, “I saw you when you were with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) in Circle of Nations (Galilee).”

70“What!” he denied before them all. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

71Then he went toward the gate, and another servant woman saw him and said out loud to all, “This man was with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) from Seed Planter Village (Nazareth).”

72“I swear to you,” he denied with a sacred oath, “I do not know this man!”

73A short time later some of the men came up to him. “You must be one of his followers,” they said. “The way you speak gives you away.”

74Stands on the Rock (Peter) cursed and swore out loud, “What are you all saying? I do not know this man you are talking about.”

Right then a rooster began to crow, 75and then he remembered what Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had told him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Stands on the Rock (Peter) ran out of the gate and wept bitter tears as he stumbled down the road.

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