Mark 14:53–15:20

53  And they led away Jesus to the high priest. And there come together to him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54  And Peter followed him at a distance, till he was within the court of the high priest’s palace; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself in the light of the fire. 55  And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find any. 56  For many bore false witness against him, and their testimony did not agree. 57  And certain persons rose up and bore false witness against him, saying, 58  We heard him saying, I will destroy this temple which is made with hands, and in the course of three days I will build another not made with hands. 59  And neither thus did their testimony agree. 60  And the high priest, rising up before them all, asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What do these testify against thee? 61  But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and says to him, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62  And Jesus said, I am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. 63  And the high priest, having rent his clothes, says, What need have we any more of witnesses? 64  Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65  And some began to spit upon him, and cover up his face, and buffet him, and say to him, Prophesy; and the officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

66  And Peter being below in the palace-court, there comes one of the maids of the high priest, 67  and seeing Peter warming himself, having looked at him, says, And thou wast with the Nazarene, Jesus. 68  But he denied, saying, I know not nor understand what thou sayest. And he went out into the vestibule; and a cock crew. 69  And the maid, seeing him, again began to say to those that stood by, This is one of them. 70  And he again denied. And again, after a little, those that stood by said to Peter, Truly thou art one of them, for also thou art a Galilean. 71  But he began to curse and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72  And the second time a cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice; and when he thought thereon he wept.

Chapter 15

1  And immediately in the morning the chief priests, having taken counsel with the elders and scribes and the whole sanhedrim, bound Jesus and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. 2  And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered and said to him, Thou sayest. 3  And the chief priests accused him urgently. 4  And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? See of how many things they bear witness against thee. 5  But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled. 6  But at the feast he released to them one prisoner, whomsoever they begged of him. 7  Now there was the person named Barabbas bound with those who had made insurrection with him, and that had committed murder in the insurrection. 8  And the crowd crying out began to beg that he would do to them as he had always done. 9  But Pilate answered them saying, Will ye that I release to you the King of the Jews? 10  for he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up through envy. 11  But the chief priests stirred up the crowd that he might rather release Barabbas to them. 12  And Pilate answering said to them again, What will ye then that I do to him whom ye call King of the Jews? 13  And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14  And Pilate said to them, What evil then has he done? But they cried out the more urgently, Crucify him.

15  And Pilate, desirous of contenting the crowd, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, that he might be crucified. 16  And the soldiers led him away into the court which is called the praetorium, and they call together the whole band. 17  And they clothe him with purple, and bind round on him a crown of thorns which they had plaited. 18  And they began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19  And they struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and, bending the knee, did him homage. 20  And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own clothes on him; and they lead him out that they may crucify him.