Matthew 26:57–75

Two False Witnesses

Mark 14:53–65; Luke 22:54, 55, 63–65; John 18:12, 18, 24

^57cAnd those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. ⁵⁸But ^dPeter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

⁵⁹Now the chief priests, ²the elders, and all the council sought ^efalse testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, ⁶⁰³but found none. Even though ^fmany false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last ^gtwo ⁴false witnesses came forward ⁶¹and said, “This fellow said, ^h‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

⁶²ⁱAnd the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” ⁶³But ^jJesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ^k“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

⁶⁴Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, ^lhereafter you will see the Son of Man ^msitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵ⁿThen the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His ^oblasphemy! ⁶⁶What do you think?”

They answered and said, ^p“He is deserving of death.”

^67qThen they spat in His face and beat Him; and ^rothers struck Him with ⁵the palms of their hands, ⁶⁸saying, ^s“Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

Three Denials of Peter

Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–62; John 18:15–18, 25–27

^69tNow Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”

⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”

⁷¹And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷²But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

⁷³And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your ^uspeech betrays you.”

⁷⁴Then ^vhe began to ⁶curse and ⁷swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, ^w“Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.