Matthew 26:31-56, Additional Reading Zephaniah 1

Sunday, February 15, 2026
 

31 Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all [a]fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may [b]fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter *said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.

The Garden of Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus *came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and *said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “[c]Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

47 While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up [d]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” 49 Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus [e]reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and [f]cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve [g]legions of angels? 54 How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:31 Or stumble
  2. Matthew 26:33 Or stumble
  3. Matthew 26:45 Or Keep on sleeping therefore
  4. Matthew 26:47 Lit and with him
  5. Matthew 26:51 Lit extended the hand
  6. Matthew 26:51 Lit took off
  7. Matthew 26:53 A legion equaled 6,000 troops
 
 

Day of Judgment on Judah

1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:

2 “I will completely remove all things
From the face of the [a]earth,” declares the Lord.
3 “I will remove man and beast;
I will remove the birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea,
And the [b]ruins along with the wicked;
And I will cut off man from the face of the [c]earth,” declares the Lord.
4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah
And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place,
And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.
5 “And those who bow down on the housetops to the host of heaven,
And those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by [d]Milcom,
6 And those who have turned back from following the Lord,
And those who have not sought the Lord or inquired of Him.”

7 [e]Be silent before the Lord [f]God!
For the day of the Lord is near,
For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
He has consecrated His guests.
8 “Then it will come about on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
That I will punish the princes, the king’s sons
And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.
9 “And I will punish on that day all who leap on the temple threshold,
Who fill the house of their [g]lord with violence and deceit.
10 “On that day,” declares the Lord,
“There will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate,
A wail from the [h]Second Quarter,
And a loud crash from the hills.
11 “Wail, O inhabitants of the [i]Mortar,
For all the [j]people of Canaan will be silenced;
All who weigh out silver will be cut off.
12 “It will come about at that time
That I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
And I will punish the men
Who are [k]stagnant in spirit,
Who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good or evil!’
13 “Moreover, their wealth will become plunder
And their houses desolate;
Yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them,
And plant vineyards but not drink their wine.”

14 Near is the great day of the Lord,
Near and coming very quickly;
Listen, the day of the Lord!
[l]In it the warrior cries out bitterly.
15 A day of wrath is that day,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of destruction and desolation,
A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of trumpet and battle cry
Against the fortified cities
And the high corner towers.
17 I will bring distress on men
So that they will walk like the blind,
Because they have sinned against the Lord;
And their blood will be poured out like dust
And their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the Lord’s wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Zephaniah 1:2 Lit ground
  2. Zephaniah 1:3 Or stumbling blocks
  3. Zephaniah 1:3 Lit ground
  4. Zephaniah 1:5 Or their king; M.T. Malcam, probably a variant spelling of Milcom
  5. Zephaniah 1:7 Lit Hush
  6. Zephaniah 1:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  7. Zephaniah 1:9 Or Lord
  8. Zephaniah 1:10 I.e. a district of Jerusalem
  9. Zephaniah 1:11 I.e. a district of Jerusalem
  10. Zephaniah 1:11 Or merchant people will
  11. Zephaniah 1:12 Lit thickening on their lees
  12. Zephaniah 1:14 Lit There

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