After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
Parallel translations
- WEB It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him.
- BSB Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
- NKJV After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.
- NASB Now the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest Him covertly and kill Him;
- NLT It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Two days before Passover, the chief priests and scribes plot to seize and kill Jesus by stealth. The plan to crucify the Lamb of God is underway.
Overview
As Passover approached — the feast commemorating Israel's redemption from Egypt — the leaders schemed against the one who would become the true Passover Lamb. Their secret plotting fulfills the long-foretold rejection of the Messiah. Yet even their wicked design served God's saving plan, for through this conspiracy the sacrifice for the world's sin would be accomplished (Acts 2:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Luke 22:1–2Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
- Exod 12:6–20And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
- John 13:1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
- Deut 16:1–8Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
- Acts 4:25–28Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
- Lev 23:5–7In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover.
- Num 28:16–25And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
- John 11:53–57Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
- Ps 62:4They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
- John 11:47Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
- Matt 12:14Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
- Matt 26:2–5Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
- Ps 64:2–6Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
- Ps 2:1–5Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
- Ps 52:3Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.
- Matt 6:2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
- Ps 62:9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 14:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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