Matthew 26:57–75

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

⁵⁷Now those who had arrested Jesus led him^* away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸But Peter was following him from a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest. And he went inside and^* was sitting with the officers to see the outcome. ⁵⁹Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰And they did not find it,^* although^* many false witnesses came forward. And finally two came forward ⁶¹and^* said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it^* within three days.’ ” ⁶²And the high priest stood up and^* said to him, “Do you reply nothing? What are these people testifying against you?” ⁶³But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!” ⁶⁴Jesus said to him, “You have said it.^* But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power^j and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his robes, saying, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have just now heard the blasphemy! ⁶⁶What do you think?” And they answered and^* said, “He deserves death!”^{k 67}Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and they slapped him,^{* 68}saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! Who is it who hit you?”

Peter Denies Jesus Three Times

⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a female slave came up to him and^* said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰But he denied it^* in the presence of them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean!” ⁷¹And when he^* went out to the gateway, another female slave^l saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁷²And again he denied it^* with an oath, “I do not know the man!” ⁷³And after a little while those who were standing there came up and^* said to Peter, “You really are one of them also, because even your accent reveals who you are.”^{m 74}Then he began to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the statement Jesus had said, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,” and he went outside and^* wept bitterly.