Matthew 26:57-68
New American Standard Bible
Jesus before Caiaphas
57 (A)Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to (B)Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But (C)Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the (D)courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the [a](E)officers to see the outcome.
59 Now the chief priests and the entire [b](F)Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. 60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on (G)two came forward, 61 and said, “This man stated, ‘(H)I am able to destroy the [c]temple of God and to rebuild it [d]in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You offer no answer for what these men are testifying against You?” 63 But (I)Jesus kept silent. (J)And the high priest said to Him, “I (K)place You under oath by (L)the living God, to tell us whether You are the [e]Christ, (M)the Son of God.” 64 Jesus *said to him, “(N)You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see (O)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and (P)coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest (Q)tore his [f]robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?” They answered, “(R)He deserves death!”
67 (S)Then they (T)spit in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others [g]slapped Him, 68 and said, “(U)Prophesy to us, You [h]Christ; who is the one who hit You?”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 26:58 Or servants
- Matthew 26:59 Or Sanhedrin
- Matthew 26:61 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 26:61 Or after
- Matthew 26:63 I.e., Messiah
- Matthew 26:65 Or outer garments
- Matthew 26:67 Or possibly beat Him with rods
- Matthew 26:68 I.e., Messiah
Matthew 26:57-68
The Message
False Charges
57-58 The gang that had seized Jesus led him before Caiaphas the Chief Priest, where the religion scholars and leaders had assembled. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Then he slipped in and mingled with the servants, watching to see how things would turn out.
59-60 The high priests, conspiring with the Jewish Council, tried to cook up charges against Jesus in order to sentence him to death. But even though many stepped up, making up one false accusation after another, nothing was believable.
60-61 Finally two men came forward with this: “He said, ‘I can tear down this Temple of God and after three days rebuild it.’”
62 The Chief Priest stood up and said, “What do you have to say to the accusation?”
63 Jesus kept silent.
Then the Chief Priest said, “I command you by the authority of the living God to say if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus was curt: “You yourself said it. And that’s not all. Soon you’ll see it for yourself:
The Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven.”
65-66 At that, the Chief Priest lost his temper, ripping his robes, yelling, “He blasphemed! Why do we need witnesses to accuse him? You all heard him blaspheme! Are you going to stand for such blasphemy?”
They all said, “Death! That seals his death sentence.”
67-68 Then they were spitting in his face and knocking him around. They jeered as they slapped him: “Prophesy, Messiah: Who hit you that time?”
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson