Matthew 26:57–68

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

⁵⁷Those^o who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas^p the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. ⁵⁸Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome.^q

⁵⁹The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death,^{r 60}but they could not find any, even though many false witnesses^s came forward.^F Finally, two^G who came forward ⁶¹stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God^t and rebuild it in three days.’ ”

⁶²The high priest stood up and said to him, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” ⁶³But^u Jesus kept silent.^v The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath^w by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”^x

⁶⁴“You have said it,” Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future^A you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^By

⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed!^z Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy.^{aa 66}What is your decision?”

They answered, “He deserves death!”^{ab 67}Then they spat in his face^ac and beat him; others slapped him ⁶⁸and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who was it that hit you?”^ad