Matthew 26:59–68

26:59 The74 chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally75 two came forward 26:61 and declared, “This man76 said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ” 26:62 So77 the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 26:63 But 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.” 26:64 Jesus 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 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared,83 “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now84 you have heard the blasphemy! 26:66 What is your verdict?”85 They86 answered, “He is guilty and deserves87 death.” 26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ!88 Who hit you?”89

74	tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
75	tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
76	tn Grk “This one.”
77	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the false testimony.
78	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
79	tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
80	sn 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	sn 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	sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
83	tn Grk “the high priest tore his clothes, saying.”
84	tn 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 (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
85	tn Grk “What do you think?”
86	tn Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
87	tn 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.”
88	tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
89	tn Grk “Who is the one who hit you?” sn Who hit you? This is a variation of one of three ancient games that involved blindfolds.