Mark 14:53–72

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

⁵³They^z led Jesus away to the high priest,^aa and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes^ab assembled.^{ac 54}Peter^ad followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants,^ae warming himself by the fire.

⁵⁵The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^af were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death,^ag but they could not find any. ⁵⁶For many were giving false testimony^ah against him, and the testimonies did not agree. ⁵⁷Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, stating, ⁵⁸“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands,^ai and in three days I will build another not made by hands.’ ” ⁵⁹Yet their testimony did not agree^aj even on this.

⁶⁰Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” ⁶¹But he kept silent and did not answer.^ak Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah,^al the Son^am of the Blessed^an One?”

⁶²“I am,”^ao said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man^ap seated at the right hand^aq of Power and coming with the clouds^ar of heaven.”^Bas

⁶³Then the high priest^at tore his robes^au and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?^{av 64}You have heard the blasphemy.^aw What is your decision?” They all condemned him as deserving death.^ax

⁶⁵Then some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to beat him, saying, “Prophesy!”^ay The temple servants^az also took him and slapped him.

PETER DENIES HIS LORD

⁶⁶While^ba Peter^bb was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s maidservants came. ⁶⁷When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.”^bc

⁶⁸But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about.” Then he went out to the entryway,^C and a rooster crowed.^D

⁶⁹When the maidservant saw him again, she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”

⁷⁰But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean.”^Ebd

⁷¹Then he started to curse and swear,^be “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”

⁷²Immediately a rooster crowed a second time,^a and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.