Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders

⁵³The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest.* All the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, and the teachers of the law were gathered there. ⁵⁴Peter followed Jesus, but he did not come near Jesus. Peter followed Jesus to the yard of the high priest's house. Peter went into the yard. Peter was sitting there with the guards. He was warming himself by their fire. ⁵⁵The leading priests and all the Jewish council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof that would allow them to kill Jesus. ⁵⁶Many people came and told false things against Jesus. But the people all said different things--none of them agreed. ⁵⁷Then some people stood and said something false against Jesus. They said, ⁵⁸"We heard this man (Jesus) say, 'I will destroy this temple* that men made. And three days later, I will build another temple--a temple not made by men.'" ⁵⁹But also the things these people said did not agree. ⁶⁰Then the high priest* stood before all the people and said to Jesus, "These people said things against you. Do you have something to say about these charges against you? Are these people telling the truth?" ⁶¹But Jesus said nothing. He did not answer. The high priest* asked Jesus another question: "Are you the Christ,* the Son of the blessed [God]?" ⁶²Jesus answered, "Yes, I am the Son of God. And in the future you will see the Son of Man* sitting at the right side of the Great One (God). And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven." ⁶³When the high priest* heard this, he was very angry. He tore his clothes and said, "We don't need any more witnesses! ⁶⁴You all heard him say these things against God. What do you think?" All the people said that Jesus was wrong. They said he was guilty and must be killed. ⁶⁵Some of the people there spit at Jesus. They covered Jesus' eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, "Be a prophet* and tell us who hit you!" Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.

Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus

⁶⁶At that time, Peter was still in the yard. A servant girl of the high priest* came to Peter. ⁶⁷The girl saw Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked closely at Peter. Then the girl said, "You were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth." ⁶⁸But Peter said that he was never with Jesus. He said, "I don't know or understand what you are talking about." Then Peter left and went to the entrance of the yard.* ⁶⁹The servant girl saw Peter there. Again the girl said to the people who were standing there, "This man is one of those people [that followed Jesus]." ⁷⁰Again Peter said that it was not true. A short time later, some people were standing near Peter. The people said, "We know you are one of those people [that followed Jesus]. You are from Galilee, [the same as Jesus]." ⁷¹Then Peter began to curse. He said strongly, "I promise to God that I don't know this man you are talking about!" ⁷²After Peter said this, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus told him: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me." Then Peter was very sad and began to cry.

high priest The most important Jewish priest and leader. temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship. Christ The "anointed one" (Messiah) or chosen one of God. Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people. prophet Prophets could say things that most people could not know. Verse 68 Many Greek copies add: "and the rooster crowed."