Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:14-23:
The time had now come to slaughter lambs for Passover,
so Jesus sent Peter and John
to make preparations for the meal.
“Where do you want us to do this?” they asked.
Jesus replied:
“As you enter the city, you’ll meet a man
carrying a jug of water.
Follow him into the house and say to the owner,
‘Our teacher sent us to find out where he can eat
the Passover meal with his closest friends.’
The owner will take you upstairs and show you
a large room ready for you to use.
Prepare the meal there.”
Peter and John left, and they found everything
precisely as Jesus had indicated,
so they did exactly as he had instructed.
When it was supper time, Jesus said,
“I’ve really wanted to eat this Passover meal
with you before I suffer.
It will be the last one I eat
before the Celebration Supper
in the Ultimate Kingdom.”
Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands,
and after giving thanks to God, he said,
“Take this wine and share it with each other.
I’ll drink no more wine before the Celebration Supper
in the Ultimate Kingdom.”
Jesus then took some bread in his hands,
and after giving thanks to God,
he broke the bread and passed it around.
Then he said, “This is my body offered for you.
Eat this and remember me!”
After the meal, Jesus took another cup of wine
in his hands and said, “This is my blood
poured out for you, and with it
God makes his new agreement.
Here at the table is the one who will betray me!
I’ll die as God intends,
but it will be terrible for my betrayer.”
The followers started arguing
about who would do such a thing.





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