Mark 14:27-52

Context

The Prediction of Peter’s Denial

14:27 Then¹ Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be scattered.’²

14:28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even if they all fall away, I will not!” 14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth,³ today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 14:31 But Peter⁴ insisted emphatically,⁵ “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all of them said the same thing.

Gethsemane

14:32 Then⁶ they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus⁷ said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 14:33 He took Peter, James,⁸ and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. 14:34 He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.” 14:35 Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him. 14:36 He said, “Abba,⁹ Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup¹⁰ away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 14:37 Then¹¹ he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour? 14:38 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 14:39 He went away again and prayed the same thing. 14:40 When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.¹² And they did not know what to tell him. 14:41 He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?¹³ Enough of that!¹⁴ The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 14:42 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer¹⁵ is approaching!”

Betrayal and Arrest

14:43 Right away, while Jesus¹⁶ was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived.¹⁷ With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law¹⁸ and elders. 14:44 (Now the betrayer¹⁹ had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”)²⁰ 14:45 When Judas²¹ arrived, he went up to Jesus²² immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed²³ him. 14:46 Then they took hold of him²⁴ and arrested him. 14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave,²⁵ cutting off his ear. 14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?²⁶ 14:49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet²⁷ you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that²⁸ the scriptures would be fulfilled.” 14:50 Then²⁹ all the disciples³⁰ left him and fled. 14:51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him, 14:52 but he ran off naked,³¹ leaving his linen cloth behind.

[14:27] ¹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:27] ²sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.

[14:30] ³tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[14:31] ⁴tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:31] ⁵tn Grk “said emphatically.”

[14:32] ⁶tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:32] ⁷tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:33] ⁸tn Grk “and James,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[14:36] ⁹tn The word means “Father” in Aramaic.

[14:36] ¹⁰sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.

[14:37] ¹¹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:40] ¹²tn Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).

[14:41] ¹³tn Or “Sleep on, and get your rest.” This sentence can be taken either as a question or a sarcastic command.

[14:41] ¹⁴tc Codex D (with some support with minor variation from W Θ Ë¹³ 565 2542 pc it) reads, “Enough of that! It is the end and the hour has come.” Evidently, this addition highlights Jesus’ assertion that what he had predicted about his own death was now coming true (cf. Luke 22:37). Even though the addition highlights the accuracy of Jesus’ prediction, it should not be regarded as part of the text of Mark, since it receives little support from the rest of the witnesses and because D especially is prone to expand the wording of a text.

[14:42] ¹⁵tn Grk “the one who betrays me.”

[14:43] ¹⁶tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:43] ¹⁷tn Or “approached.” This is a different verb than the one translated “arrived” in Matt 26:47 and below in v. 45, although in this context the meanings probably overlap.

[14:43] ¹⁸tn Or “from the chief priests, scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:44] ¹⁹tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[14:44] ²⁰sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[14:45] ²¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45] ²²tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45] ²³sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[14:46] ²⁴tn Grk “put their hands on him.”

[14:47] ²⁵tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.

[14:48] ²⁶tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist,” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).

[14:49] ²⁷tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) is elastic enough to be used contrastively on occasion, as here.

[14:49] ²⁸tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.

[14:50] ²⁹tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:50] ³⁰tn Grk “they”; the referent (Jesus’ disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:52] ³¹sn The statement he ran off naked is probably a reference to Mark himself, traditionally assumed to be the author of this Gospel. Why he was wearing only an outer garment and not the customary tunic as well is not mentioned. W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 527-28, says that Mark probably mentioned this episode so as to make it clear that “all fled, leaving Jesus alone in the custody of the police.”