Jesus Before the Jewish Leaders^(A)

⁵⁷ The men who arrested Jesus led him to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. The teachers of the law and the older Jewish leaders were gathered there. ⁵⁸ Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance. He followed him to the yard of the high priest’s house. Peter went in and sat with the guards. He wanted to see what would happen to Jesus.

⁵⁹ The leading priests and the high council tried to find something against Jesus so that they could kill him. They tried to find people to lie and say that Jesus had done wrong. ⁶⁰ Many people came and told lies about him. But the council could find no real reason to kill him. Then two people came ⁶¹ and said, “This man^[a] said, ‘I can destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days.’”

⁶² Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Don’t you have anything to say about these charges against you? Are they telling the truth?” ⁶³ But Jesus said nothing.

Again the high priest said to Jesus, “You are now under oath. I command you by the power of the living God to tell us the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”

⁶⁴ Jesus answered, “Yes, that’s right. But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of God. And you will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵ When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes in anger. He said, “This man has said things that insult God! We don’t need any more witnesses. You all heard his insulting words. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

The Jewish leaders answered, “He is guilty, and he must die.”

⁶⁷ Then some there spit in Jesus’ face, and they hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. ⁶⁸ They said, “Show us that you are a prophet,^[b] Messiah! Tell us who hit you!”

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.