^26:47While he was still speaking, Judas,⁵⁴ one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. ^26:48(Now the betrayer⁵⁵ had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man.⁵⁶ Arrest him!”)⁵⁷^26:49Immediately⁵⁸ he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.⁵⁹^26:50Jesus⁶⁰ said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold⁶¹ of Jesus and arrested him. ^26:51But⁶² one of those with Jesus grabbed⁶³ his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave,⁶⁴ cutting off his ear. ^26:52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place!⁶⁵ For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. ^26:53Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions⁶⁶ of angels right now? ^26:54How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” ^26:55At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?⁶⁷ Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet⁶⁸ you did not arrest me. ^26:56But this has happened so that⁶⁹ the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Condemned by the Sanhedrin

^26:57Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house⁷⁰ the experts in the law⁷¹ and the elders had gathered. ^26:58But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After⁷² going in, he sat with the guards⁷³ to see the outcome. ^26:59The⁷⁴ chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ^26:60But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally⁷⁵ two came forward ^26:61and declared, “This man⁷⁶ said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ” ^26:62So⁷⁷ the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” ^26:63But Jesus was silent. The⁷⁸ high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ,⁷⁹ the Son of God.” ^26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand⁸⁰ of the Power⁸¹ and coming on the clouds of heaven.”⁸²^26:65Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared,⁸³ “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now⁸⁴ you have heard the blasphemy! ^26:66What is your verdict?”⁸⁵ They⁸⁶ answered, “He is guilty and deserves⁸⁷ death.” ^26:67Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,

Read in Logos

Matthew 26:56: “But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Footnotes

54 Grk “behold, Judas.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis ( 1).
55 Grk “the one who betrays him.”
56 Grk “The one I kiss is he.”
57 This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.
58 Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
59 Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.
60 Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
61 Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”
62 Grk “And behold one.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis ( 1).
63 Grk “extending his hand, drew out his sword, and struck.” Because rapid motion is implied in the circumstances, the translation “grabbed” was used.
64 See the note on the word “slave” in .
65 The translation “put your sword back in its place” for this phrase is given in L&N 85.52.
66 A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be 72,000.
67 Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus ( 2.13.2–3 [2.253–254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).
68 Grk “and” (καί, kai), a conjunction that is elastic enough to be used to indicate a contrast, as here.
69 Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.
70 Grk “where.”
71 Or “where the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
72 Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
73 The guards would have been the guards of the chief priests who had accompanied Judas to arrest Jesus.
74 Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
75 Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
76 Grk “This one.”
77 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the false testimony.
78 Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
79 Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” See the note on Christ in .
80 An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
81 The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
82 An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
83 Grk “the high priest tore his clothes, saying.”
84 Grk “Behold now.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis ( 1).
85 Grk “What do you think?”
86 Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
87 Grk “he is guilty of death.” L&N 88.313 states, “pertaining to being guilty and thus deserving some particular penalty—‘guilty and deserving, guilty and punishable by.’ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν, Ἐνοχος θανάτου ἐστίν ‘they answered, He is guilty and deserves death’ Mt 26:66.”