Mark 14:17-25 Meaning: Why Jesus Shared Supper with His Betrayer
17When it was evening he came with the twelve.
18As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”
19They began to be sorrowful, and to ask him one by one, “Surely not I?” And another said, “Surely not I?”
20He answered them, “It is one of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.
21For the Son of Man goes as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”
22As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.”
23He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.
24He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.
25Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.”
17And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.
18And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
20And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.
21The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
22And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
23And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
24And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
25Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
17And when it was evening he cometh with the twelve.
18And as they sat and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you shall betray me, even he that eateth with me.
19They began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I?
20And he said unto them, It is one of the twelve, he that dippeth with me in the dish.
21For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.
22And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take ye: this is my body.
23And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them: and they all drank of it.
24And he said unto them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
25Verily I say unto you, I shall no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
17And evening having come, he cometh with the twelve,
18and as they are reclining, and eating, Jesus said, `Verily I say to you--one of you, who is eating with me--shall deliver me up.'
19And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him, one by one, `Is it I?' and another, `Is it I?'
20And he answering said to them, `One of the twelve who is dipping with me in the dish;
21the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up; good were it to him if that man had not been born.'
22And as they are eating, Jesus having taken bread, having blessed, brake, and gave to them, and said, `Take, eat; this is my body.'
23And having taken the cup, having given thanks, he gave to them, and they drank of it--all;
24and he said to them, `This is my blood of the new covenant, which for many is being poured out;
25verily I say to you, that no more may I drink of the produce of the vine till that day when I may drink it new in the reign of God.'
17And when evening was come, he comes with the twelve.
18And as they lay at table and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say to you, One of you shall deliver me up; he who is eating with me.
19And they began to be grieved, and to say to him, one by one, Is it I? [and another, Is it I?]
20But he answered and said to them, One of the twelve, he who dips with me in the dish.
21The Son of man goes indeed as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is delivered up; [it were] good for that man if he had not been born.
22And as they were eating, Jesus, having taken bread, when he had blessed, broke [it], and gave [it] to them, and said, Take [this]: this is my body.
23And having taken [the] cup, when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them, and they all drank out of it.
24And he said to them, This is my blood, that of the [new] covenant, that shed for many.
25Verily I say to you, I will no more drink at all of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Meaning in one sentence
At the Last Supper, Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. Yet He broke bread and poured wine, giving Himself as the new covenant for many.
Context
It is Passover evening in Jerusalem. Jesus and the twelve disciples have gathered in a large upper room, prepared just as He had directed. The meal was underway when Jesus spoke words that stunned everyone: one of them, sharing this very table, would hand Him over. The disciples began asking, one by one, “Surely not I?” Their sorrow was real, they could not fathom betrayal from within their circle.
But Jesus did not stop with the warning. In the same meal, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. He took the cup and said, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.” Then He looked ahead to the day when He would drink wine anew in God’s Kingdom. The night held both betrayal and a gift that would last beyond it.
Key Words
Three Greek words carry the weight of this passage. The first is paradidōmi (παραδίδωμι), used here for “betray.” It means to deliver into someone’s hands. In verse 21 Jesus says the Son of Man goes as it is written, yet “woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.” The same verb appears in verse 18 and 20. It catches the terrible truth that a trusted friend would hand Jesus over, and that Jesus allowed it, fulfilling Scripture.
The second key phrase is kainēs diathēkēs (καινῆς διαθήκης), “new covenant.” Diathēkē can mean a will or a solemn agreement. Kainēs means new in kind, unprecedented. This is not a renewal of the old covenant; Jesus is establishing something fresh, sealed with His own life.
The third word is ekchunnomenon (ἐκχυννόμενον), “poured out.” In verse 24 it is a present participle, literally “is being poured out.” As Vincent notes, to the Lord’s mind the sacrifice is already being offered. This is not a distant event; it is happening now, for many.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read these verses at the heart of their faith. Reformed theologian John Calvin emphasized that “for many” does not mean a limited few but the whole human race, Christ died to deliver many from the curse. Methodist leader John Wesley called the Supper “a perpetual sign and memorial” of Christ’s blood establishing the new covenant. The Catholic and Orthodox traditions see in Jesus’ words the institution of the Eucharist, where the bread and wine become truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Protestant traditions often understand them as a symbolic representation of Christ’s sacrifice, through which believers spiritually receive Him. Both groups seek to honor Jesus’ command: “Take, eat… Drink from it, all of you.”
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Judas’s betrayal surprised Jesus or defeated God’s plan. In fact, Jesus said, “The Son of Man goes as it is written about him.” His death was no accident. Yet He also pronounced woe on Judas, showing that human responsibility and divine purpose both stand. The evening meal was not a setback, it was the moment Jesus freely gave Himself, even with a traitor at the table.
Living This Out
This week, you might find yourself in an awkward meal, eating with a family member who has disappointed you, or with a friend whose loyalty feels uncertain. The Last Supper shows that Jesus did not wait for perfect relationships to give Himself. He broke bread knowing exactly who would betray Him. You can do the same: extend grace even when trust is broken. When you take Communion, remember that Jesus gave His body and blood for the very people who hurt Him. That includes you. His sacrifice changes everything, even a meal shadowed by betrayal.
Main takeaway: Jesus turned a meal marked by betrayal into the lasting sign of his self-giving love for many.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus had a special dinner with His twelve friends. He knew one friend was going to hurt Him, but He still shared bread and juice with everyone. He said the bread was like His body and the juice was like His blood. That means He was giving everything for them.
For ages 9, 12
This was the Passover meal, a tradition the Jewish people had kept for hundreds of years. But Jesus did something new. He took bread and said, “This is my body,” and wine and said, “This is my blood of the new covenant.” He was starting a new way for His followers to remember Him, forever. Even though Judas would betray Him, Jesus still gave Himself for everyone. When you take Communion, think of Jesus giving His life for you, no matter what.
Questions People Ask
Was the Last Supper a Passover meal?
Yes. In Mark 14:12-16, Jesus sent two disciples to prepare the Passover lamb. The meal they shared is the Passover seder, which included unleavened bread, wine, and roasted lamb. Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and cup during this traditional feast.
Why did Jesus let Judas stay at the table?
Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, He predicted it plainly. By including Judas, Jesus showed that His love extended even to an enemy. Also, the betrayal fulfilled Old Testament Scripture (Psalm 41:9). Jesus’ death was not a surprise; it was God’s plan for salvation.
What does 'blood of the new covenant' mean?
A covenant is a binding agreement. God had made a covenant with Israel at Sinai using animal blood (Exodus 24:8). Jesus announced a new covenant, promised in Jeremiah 31, sealed by His own blood. This covenant offers forgiveness of sins and a personal relationship with God for all who trust in Christ.
Is the bread and wine just a symbol?
Christians understand this differently. Catholic and Orthodox believers hold that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Christ. Many Protestant traditions see them as powerful symbols that represent Christ’s sacrifice and make His presence real to faith. Both views honor Jesus’ command to “take, eat” in remembrance of Him.
What did Jesus mean by 'drink it new in the kingdom of God'?
Jesus was looking ahead to the future celebration when God’s reign comes fully. His resurrection and return will bring a banquet where believers share together in joy. This phrase gives hope, the sorrow of this meal will give way to complete fellowship with God.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study