Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders^(A)

⁵³ Those 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. ⁵⁴ Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest’s house. He went into the yard and sat there with the guards, warming himself by their fire.

⁵⁵ The leading priests and the whole high 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. ⁵⁶ Many people came and told lies against Jesus, but they all said different things. None of them agreed.

⁵⁷ Then some others stood up and told more lies against Jesus. They said, ⁵⁸ “We heard this man^[a] say, ‘I will destroy this Temple built by human hands. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by human hands.’” ⁵⁹ But also what these people said did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before everyone and said to Jesus, “These people said things against you. Do you have something to say about their charges? Are they telling the truth?” ⁶¹ But Jesus said nothing to answer him.

The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?”

⁶² Jesus 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 God All-Powerful. And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶³ When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes in anger. He said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! ⁶⁴ You all heard these insults to God. What do you think?”

Everyone agreed that Jesus was guilty and must be killed. ⁶⁵ Some of the people there spit at him. They covered his eyes and hit him with their fists. They said, “Be a prophet^[b] and tell us who hit you!” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.

Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus^(A)

⁵⁴ They arrested Jesus and took him away to the house of the high priest. Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. ⁵⁵ The soldiers started a fire in the middle of the yard and sat together. Peter sat with them.

The Guards Treat Jesus Badly^(A)

⁶³ The men guarding Jesus made fun of him and beat him. ⁶⁴ They covered his eyes so that he could not see them. Then they hit him and said, “Be a prophet^[a] and tell us who hit you!” ⁶⁵ And they shouted all kinds of insults at him.

Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders^(B)

⁶⁶ The next morning, the older leaders of the people, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law came together. They led Jesus away to their high council. ⁶⁷ They said, “If you are the Messiah, then tell us that you are.”

Jesus said to them, “If I tell you I am the Messiah, you will not believe me. ⁶⁸ And if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹ But beginning now, the Son of Man will sit at the right side of God All-Powerful.”

⁷⁰ They all said, “Then are you the Son of God?” Jesus said to them, “You are right in saying that I am.”

⁷¹ They said, “Why do we need witnesses now? We all heard what he said!”

¹³ and brought him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the high priest that year. ¹⁴ He was also the one who had told the other Jewish leaders that it would be better if one man died for all the people.

The High Priest Questions Jesus^(A)

¹⁹ The high priest asked Jesus questions about his followers and what he taught them. ²⁰ Jesus answered, “I have always spoken openly to all people. I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple area. All the Jews come together there. I never said anything in secret. ²¹ So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, “You should not talk to the high priest like that!”

²³ Jesus answered, “If I said something wrong, tell everyone here what was wrong. But if what I said is right, then why do you hit me?”

²⁴ So Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas the high priest. He was still tied.