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Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus

54 They arrested Jesus and took him away. They brought him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed them, but he did not go near Jesus. 55 The soldiers started a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat together. Peter sat with them. 56 A servant girl saw Peter sitting there near the light. She looked closely at Peter’s face and said, “This man was also with him!”

57 But Peter said this was not true. He said, “Girl, I don’t know him.”

58 A short time later, another person saw Peter and said, “You are also one of them.”

But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”

59 About an hour later, another man insisted, “It is true! This man was with him. He is from Galilee!”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!”

Immediately, while Peter was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. And Peter remembered what the Lord had said: “Before the rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” 62 Then Peter went outside and cried with much pain in his heart.

The People Laugh at Jesus

63-64 Some men were guarding Jesus. They made fun of him like this: They covered his eyes so that he could not see them. Then they hit him and said, “Prove that you are a prophet, and tell us who hit you!” 65 The men said many cruel things to Jesus.

Jesus Before the Leaders

66 When day came, the elders of the people, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law came together. They led Jesus away to their highest court. 67 They said, “If you are the Christ, then tell us that you are!”

Jesus said to them, “If I tell you I am the Christ, 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 hand of the powerful God.”

70 They all said, “Then are you the Son of God?”

Jesus said to them, “Yes, you are right when you say that I am.”

71 They said, “Why do we need witnesses now? We ourselves heard him say this!”

Governor Pilate Questions Jesus

23 Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate.[a] They began to accuse Jesus. They told Pilate, “We caught this man telling things that were confusing our people. He says that we should not pay taxes to Caesar. He calls himself the Christ, a king.”

Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus answered, “Yes, that is right.”

Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing wrong with this man.”

They said again and again, “But Jesus is making trouble with the people! He teaches all around Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here!”

Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod

Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee. If so, Jesus was under Herod’s authority. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time; so Pilate sent Jesus to him. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. He had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. Herod was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle. Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing. 10 The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there. They were shouting things against Jesus. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus. They dressed him in a kingly robe and then sent him back to Pilate. 12 In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies. But on that day they became friends.

Jesus Must Die

13 Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders. 14 He said to them, “You brought this man to me. You said that he was making trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of the things you say. 15 Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die. 16 So, after I punish him, I will let him go free.” 17 [Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.][b]

18 But all the people shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!” 19 (Barabbas was a man who was in prison because he started a riot in the city. He was guilty of murder.)

20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So he told this to the crowd. 21 But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”

22 A third time Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free.”

23 But they continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on the cross. Their yelling became so loud that 24 Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25 They wanted Barabbas to go free, the man who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder. Pilate let Barabbas go free and gave Jesus to them to be killed.

Footnotes

  1. 23:1 Pilate Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from a.d. 26 to a.d. 36.
  2. 23:17 Every . . . people. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.

Peter Disowns Jesus(A)

54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.(B) Peter followed at a distance.(C) 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”(D)

60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord(E) turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”(F) 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Guards Mock Jesus(G)

63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.(H)

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod(I)(J)(K)

66 At daybreak the council(L) of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,(M) and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer.(N) 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”(O)

70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”(P)

He replied, “You say that I am.”(Q)

71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

23 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.(R) And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation.(S) He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar(T) and claims to be Messiah, a king.”(U)

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”(V)

But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee(W) and has come all the way here.”

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.(X) When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,(Y) who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him.(Z) From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.(AA) 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe,(AB) they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends(AC)—before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.(AD) 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him(AE) and then release him.” [17] [a]

18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”(AF) 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”(AG)

23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 23:17 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 27:15 and Mark 15:6.