October 14th, 2023

This Sunday is the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, and the Gospel text is Matthew 22:1-14. The writings of this website, at this point in time, are a bit farther ahead, at what is commonly known as Matthew 26, and we will be finishing that chapter with this writing.

In some editions of the scriptures, the verse [30] about Jesus and his disciples singing a hymn and then leaving the upper room to go to the Garden of Gethsemane are in the same paragraph as the previous text, that of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. In other editions, that verse is connected to what comes after. Either way, the use of paragraphs in ancient Greek texts was certainly not the same as it is today in any texts.  

In last week’s somewhat-literal translation, that verse was given. In an effort to help with the progression of the text for this week, it will be given in the following translation as well. And you may wish to look at a study bible or at least another translation of the text to see how they divide the text and how they translate it as well. So here is an attempt at a somewhat-literal translation of the rest of Matthew 26[:30-75]; the bold print that is below are the historical presents (where normally the verb should be in a past tense, but it is given in the present):

And having hymned, they went out into the Mount of the Olives.

Then he says to them, the Jesus, “All you, yourselves, will be scandalized in me, in the night, this; for it has been written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and they will be thoroughly scattered, the sheep of the flock.’ Now after being raised, me, I will go before you into the Galilee.”

Now having answered, the Peter, he said to him, “If all will be scandalized in you, I myself never will be scandalized.”

He told him, the Jesus, “Amen, I am saying to you that in this, the night, before a rooster, to call, three times you will deny me.”

He says to him, the Peter, “And if it is necessary, me with you to die, certainly not you, I will deny.” Likewise, also, all the disciples said.

Then he comes with them, the Jesus, into a place being called Gethsemane, and he says to the disciples, “Sit here until, which, having gone away there, I pray.” And having taken aside the Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and to be distressed. Then he says to them, “Very grieved is the soul of me until death. Remain here and watch with me.” And having gone on a micron, he fell upon face of him, praying and saying, “Father of me, if possible it is, let it pass from me, the cup, this; yet not as I, myself, want, but on the contrary, as you.” And he comes toward the disciples, and he finds them sleeping, and he says to the Peter, “So not you had strength, one hour, to watch with me? Watch and pray, in order that, not you enter into temptation. On the one hand, the spirit, eager; on the other hand, the flesh, weak.” Again, for a second one, having gone away, he prayed, saying, “Father of me, if not it is possible, this, to pass by, if not it, I drink, let be done, the will of you.” And having come again, he found them sleeping, for they were, of them, the eyes, having been made heavy. And having left them again, having gone away, he prayed, for a third, the same word having said again. Then he comes toward the disciples, and he says to them, “Sleep the remaining and rest, behold, it has come near, the hour, and the Son of the Man is given over into hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold, he has come near, the one betraying me.”

And still he speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, he came, and with him a crowd, great, with swords and clubs, from the arch-priests and elders of the people.  Now the one giving over him, he gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, he it is; seize him.” And immediately, having approached the Jesus, he said, “Greetings, rabbi.” And he intensely kissed him.

Now the Jesus said to him, “Comrade, for which you are present.” Then having approached, they threw upon, the hands, upon the Jesus, and they seized him. And behold, one of the ones with Jesus, having stretched out the hand, he drew out the sword of him, and having struck the slave of the arch-priest, he took off of him, the ear. Then he says to him, the Jesus, “Put back the sword of you into the place of it; for all the ones having taken a sword, in a sword they will be destroyed. Or do you think that not, I am able to exhort the Father of me, and he will provide for me, now more, twelve legions of angels? Therefore, how they should be fulfilled, the writings, that thus, it is necessary to happen?” In that, the hour, he said, the Jesus, to the crowds, “As against a robber you came out with swords and clubs to apprehend me? Each day, in the temple, I was sitting, teaching, and not you seized me. Now this, all has happened that they may be fulfilled, the writings of the prophets.” Then the disciples, all, having left him, they fled.

Now the ones having seized the Jesus, they led away toward Caiaphas, the arch-priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Now the Peter was following him, from a distance, until to the courtyard of the arch-priest, and having entered, inside he was sitting, with the attendants, to see the end.

Now the arch-priests and the Sanhedrin, all, they were seeking a false witness against the Jesus, thus him, they might kill. And not they found, many having approached, false witnesses. Now later, having approached, two, they said, “This man told, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of the God, and through three days, to build.’”

And having stood up, the arch-priest said to him, “Nothing you answer, what these, of you, they give witness against?” Now the Jesus was silent.

And the arch-priest said to him, “I put under oath, you, by the God, the Living, that to us you say, if you, yourself, are the Christ, the Son of the God.”

He says to him, the Jesus. “You, yourself, said. Yet I am saying to you, from now, you will see the Son of the Man sitting from right of the power and coming upon the clouds of the heaven.”

Then the arch-priest ripped apart the garments of him, saying, “He blasphemed; what still a need do we have of witnesses? Behold, now you heard the blasphemy. What to you it seems?”

Now the ones, having answered, they said, “Guilty of death he is.”

Then, they spit on, into the face of him, and they punched him, now the ones slapped, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ, who it is, the one having struck you?”

Now the Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and she approached him, one maidservant, saying, “Also you, yourself, were with Jesus, the Galilean.”

Now the one denied before all, saying, “Not I know what you are saying.”

Now having gone into the entrance, she saw him, another, and she says to the ones there, “This one, himself, was with Jesus, the Nazarene.” And again, he denied with an oath that “Not I know the man.”

Now after a little, having approached, the ones standing, they said to the Peter, “Truly also, you of them, you are, for indeed, the speech of you, evident, you, it makes.” Then he began to invoke a curse and to swear that “Not I know the man.” And immediately a rooster called.
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And he remembered, the Peter, the word of Jesus having said, “Before a rooster, to call, three times you will deny me; and having gone out, outside, he wept bitterly.