Bible in Basic English
And he went away from them again, and a third time said the same prayer.
Then he comes to the disciples; and says to them, Go on sleeping now, and take your rest: for the hour is come, and the Son of man is given into the hands of evil men.
Up, let us be going: see, he who gives me up is near.
And while he was still talking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a band armed with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and those in authority over the people.
Now the false one had given them a sign saying, The one to whom I give a kiss, that is he: take him.
And straight away he came to Jesus and said, Master! and gave him a kiss.
And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that for which you have come. Then they came and put hands on Jesus, and took him.
And one of those who were with Jesus put out his hand, and took out his sword and gave the servant of the high priest a blow, cutting off his ear.
Then says Jesus to him, Put up your sword again into its place: for all those who take the sword will come to death by the sword.
Does it not seem possible to you that if I make request to my Father he will even now send me an army of angels?
But how then would the Writings come true, which say that so it has to be?
In that hour Jesus said to the people, Have you come out as against a thief with swords and sticks to take me? I was teaching every day in the Temple and you took me not.
But all this has taken place so that the writings of the prophets might come true. Then all his disciples went from him in flight.
And those who had made Jesus prisoner took him away to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and those in authority over the people had come together.
But Peter went after him at a distance, to the house of the high priest, and went in and took his seat with the servants, to see the end.
Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death;
And they were not able to get it, though a number of false witnesses came.
But later there came two who said, This man said, I am able to give the Temple of God to destruction, and to put it up again in three days.
And the high priest got up and said to him, Have you no answer? what is it which these say against you?
But Jesus said not a word. And the high priest said to him, I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will say to us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus says to him, You say so: but I say to you, From now you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest, violently parting his robes, said, He has said evil against God: what more need have we of witnesses? for now his words against God have come to your ears:
What is your opinion? They made answer and said, It is right for him to be put to death.
Then they put shame on him, and were cruel to him: and some gave him blows, saying,
Be a prophet, O Christ, and say who gave you a blow!
Now Peter was seated in the open square outside the house: and a servant-girl came to him, saying, You were with Jesus the Galilaean.
But he said before them all that it was false, saying, I have no knowledge of what you say.
And when he had gone out into the doorway, another saw him and says to those who were there, This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.
And again he said with an oath, I have no knowledge of the man.
And after a little time those who were near came and said to Peter, Truly you are one of them; because your talk is witness against you.
Then with curses and oaths he said, I have no knowledge of the man. And straight away there came the cry of a cock.
And the word of Jesus came back to Peter, when he said, Before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. And he went out, weeping bitterly.
— Matthew 26:44-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. ”
Keep watch with prayer, so that you may not be put to the test: the spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is feeble.
Again, a second time he went away, and said in prayer, O my Father, if this may not go from me without my taking it, let your pleasure be done.
And he came again and saw them sleeping, for their eyes were tired.
And he went away from them again, and a third time said the same prayer.
Then he comes to the disciples; and says to them, Go on sleeping now, and take your rest: for the hour is come, and the Son of man is given into the hands of evil men.
Up, let us be going: see, he who gives me up is near.
And while he was still talking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a band armed with swords and sticks, from the chief priests and those in authority over the people.
Now the false one had given them a sign saying, The one to whom I give a kiss, that is he: take him.
And straight away he came to Jesus and said, Master! and gave him a kiss.
And Jesus said to him, Friend, do that for which you have come. Then they came and put hands on Jesus, and took him.
And one of those who were with Jesus put out his hand, and took out his sword and gave the servant of the high priest a blow, cutting off his ear.
Then says Jesus to him, Put up your sword again into its place: for all those who take the sword will come to death by the sword.
Does it not seem possible to you that if I make request to my Father he will even now send me an army of angels?
But how then would the Writings come true, which say that so it has to be?
In that hour Jesus said to the people, Have you come out as against a thief with swords and sticks to take me? I was teaching every day in the Temple and you took me not.
But all this has taken place so that the writings of the prophets might come true. Then all his disciples went from him in flight.
And those who had made Jesus prisoner took him away to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and those in authority over the people had come together.
But Peter went after him at a distance, to the house of the high priest, and went in and took his seat with the servants, to see the end.
Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death;
And they were not able to get it, though a number of false witnesses came.
But later there came two who said, This man said, I am able to give the Temple of God to destruction, and to put it up again in three days.
And the high priest got up and said to him, Have you no answer? what is it which these say against you?
But Jesus said not a word. And the high priest said to him, I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will say to us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus says to him, You say so: but I say to you, From now you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest, violently parting his robes, said, He has said evil against God: what more need have we of witnesses? for now his words against God have come to your ears:
What is your opinion? They made answer and said, It is right for him to be put to death.
Then they put shame on him, and were cruel to him: and some gave him blows, saying,
Be a prophet, O Christ, and say who gave you a blow!
Now Peter was seated in the open square outside the house: and a servant-girl came to him, saying, You were with Jesus the Galilaean.
But he said before them all that it was false, saying, I have no knowledge of what you say.
And when he had gone out into the doorway, another saw him and says to those who were there, This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.
And again he said with an oath, I have no knowledge of the man.
And after a little time those who were near came and said to Peter, Truly you are one of them; because your talk is witness against you.
Then with curses and oaths he said, I have no knowledge of the man. And straight away there came the cry of a cock.
And the word of Jesus came back to Peter, when he said, Before the hour of the cock's cry, you will say three times that you have no knowledge of me. And he went out, weeping bitterly.