⁵³The men took Jesus to the chief priest. All the chief priests, the leaders, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings had gathered together. ⁵⁴Peter followed him at a distance and went into the chief priest’s courtyard. He sat with the guards and warmed himself facing the glow of a fire.

⁵⁵The chief priests and the whole Jewish council were searching for some testimony against Jesus in order to execute him. But they couldn’t find any. ⁵⁶Many gave false testimony against him, but their statements did not agree.

⁵⁷Then some men stood up and gave false testimony against him. They said, ⁵⁸“We heard him say, ‘I’ll tear down this temple made by humans, and in three days I’ll build another temple, one not made by human hands.’ ” ⁵⁹But their testimony did not agree even on this point.

⁶⁰So the chief priest stood up in the center and asked Jesus, “Don’t you have any answer to what these men testify against you?”

⁶¹But he was silent.

The chief priest asked him again, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

⁶²Jesus answered, “Yes, I am, and you will see the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. He will be coming with the clouds of heaven.”

⁶³The chief priest tore his clothes ⸤in horror⸥ and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? ⁶⁴You’ve heard him dishonor God! What’s your verdict?”

All of them condemned him with the death sentence. ⁶⁵Some of them began to spit on him. They covered his face and hit him with their fists. They said to him, “Prophesy!” Even the guards took him and slapped him.

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