Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council

57 (A)Then (B)those who had seized Jesus led him to (C)Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And (D)Peter was following him at a distance, as far as (E)the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with (F)the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council[a] (G)were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, (H)though many false witnesses came forward. At last (I)two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, (J)‘I am able to (K)destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”[b] 63 (L)But Jesus remained silent. (M)And the high priest said to him, (N)“I adjure you by (O)the living God, (P)tell us if you are (Q)the Christ, (R)the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, (S)“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on (T)you will see the Son of Man (U)seated at the right hand of Power and (V)coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest (W)tore his robes and said, (X)“He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, (Y)“He deserves death.” 67 Then (Z)they spit in his face (AA)and (AB)struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you (AC)Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

69 (AD)Now Peter was sitting outside (AE)in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus (AF)of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for (AG)your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, (AH)“Before the rooster crows, you will (AI)deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

27 (AJ)When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people (AK)took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and (AL)led him away and (AM)delivered him over to (AN)Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

Then when (AO)Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus[c] was condemned, (AP)he changed his mind and brought back (AQ)the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? (AR)See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, (AS)he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into (AT)the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore (AU)that field has been called the Field of Blood (AV)to this day. (AW)Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, (AX)“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.”

Jesus Before Pilate

11 (AY)Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you (AZ)the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, (BA)“You have said so.” 12 (BB)But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, (BC)“Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

15 (BD)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or (BE)Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out (BF)of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on (BG)the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with (BH)that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today (BI)in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to (BJ)ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” (BK)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? (BL)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that (BM)a riot was beginning, he took water and (BN)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of (BO)this man's blood;[d] (BP)see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, (BQ)“His blood be on us and (BR)on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having (BS)scourged[e] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:59 Greek Sanhedrin
  2. Matthew 26:62 Or Have you no answer to what these men testify against you?
  3. Matthew 27:3 Greek he
  4. Matthew 27:24 Some manuscripts this righteous blood, or this righteous man's blood
  5. Matthew 27:26 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin(A)

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas(B) the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest.(C) He entered and sat down with the guards(D) to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin(E) were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses(F) came forward.

Finally two(G) came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”(H)

62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.(I)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath(J) by the living God:(K) Tell us if you are the Messiah,(L) the Son of God.”(M)

64 “You have said so,”(N) Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One(O) and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[a](P)

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes(Q) and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,”(R) they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.(S) Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”(T)

Peter Disowns Jesus(U)

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”(V) And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Judas Hangs Himself

27 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed.(W) So they bound him, led him away and handed him over(X) to Pilate the governor.(Y)

When Judas, who had betrayed him,(Z) saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver(AA) to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”(AB)

So Judas threw the money into the temple(AC) and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.(AD)

The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood(AE) to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:(AF) “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”[b](AG)

Jesus Before Pilate(AH)

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”(AI)

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.(AJ) 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”(AK) 14 But Jesus made no reply,(AL) not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner(AM) chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus[c] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(AN) 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,(AO) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent(AP) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream(AQ) because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.(AR)

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”(AS) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar(AT) was starting, he took water and washed his hands(AU) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”(AV) he said. “It is your responsibility!”(AW)

25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”(AX)

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,(AY) and handed him over to be crucified.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 26:64 See Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13.
  2. Matthew 27:10 See Zech. 11:12,13; Jer. 19:1-13; 32:6-9.
  3. Matthew 27:16 Many manuscripts do not have Jesus; also in verse 17.