Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

⁵³ They^(A) led Jesus away to the high priest,^(B) and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes^(C) assembled.^{(D) 54} Peter^(E) followed him at a distance, right into the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants,^[a](F) warming himself by the fire.

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(G) were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death,^(H) but they could not find any. ⁵⁶ For many were giving false testimony^(I) against him, and the testimonies did not agree. ⁵⁷ Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, stating, ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands,^(J) and in three days I will build another not made by hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet their testimony did not agree^(K) even on this.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, “Don’t you have an answer to what these men are testifying against you?” ⁶¹ But he kept silent and did not answer.^(L) Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah,^(M) the Son^(N) of the Blessed^(O) One?”

⁶² “I am,”^(P) said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man^(Q) seated at the right hand^(R) of Power and coming with the clouds^(S) of heaven.”^[b](T)

⁶³ Then the high priest^(U) tore his robes^(V) and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?^{(W) 64} You have heard the blasphemy.^(X) What is your decision?” They all condemned him as deserving death.^(Y)

⁶⁵ Then some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to beat him, saying, “Prophesy!” ^(Z) The temple servants^(AA) also took him and slapped him.

Peter Denies His Lord

⁶⁶ While^(AB) Peter^(AC) was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s maidservants came. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.”^(AD)

⁶⁸ But he denied it: “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about.” Then he went out to the entryway,^[c] and a rooster crowed.^[d]

⁶⁹ When the maidservant saw him again, she began to tell those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”

⁷⁰ But again he denied it. After a little while those standing there said to Peter again, “You certainly are one of them, since you’re also a Galilean.”^[e](AE)

⁷¹ Then he started to curse and swear,^(AF) “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”

⁷² Immediately a rooster crowed a second time,^(AG) and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Psalm 116

Thanks to God for Deliverance

The Judgment of False Teachers

2 There were indeed false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers^(B) among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought^(C) them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them.^{(D) 3} They will exploit^(E) you in their greed^(F) with made-up stories. Their condemnation,^(G) pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep.

⁴ For if God didn’t spare^(H) the angels who sinned but cast them into hell^[a](I) and delivered them in chains^[b] of utter darkness to be kept for judgment;^{(J) 5} and if he didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah,^(K) a preacher of righteousness, and seven others,^[c](L) when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly; ⁶ and if he reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah^(M) to ashes and condemned them to extinction,^[d] making them an example of what is coming to the ungodly;^{(N) 7} and if he rescued righteous Lot,^(O) distressed by the depraved behavior of the immoral ⁸ (for as that righteous man lived among them day by day, his righteous soul was tormented by the lawless deeds he saw and heard^(P))— ⁹ then the Lord knows how to rescue^(Q) the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,^{(R) 10} especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority.^(S)

Bold, arrogant people! They are not afraid to slander the glorious ones; ¹¹ however, angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a slanderous charge against them before the Lord.^{[e] 12} But these people, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed—slander what they do not understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed. ¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions^[f] while they feast with you. ¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery^(T) that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!^{(U) 15} They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path^(V) and have followed the path of Balaam,^(W) the son of Bosor,^[g] who loved the wages of wickedness^{(X) 16} but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.^(Y)

¹⁷ These people are springs without water, mists driven by a storm. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them.^{(Z) 18} For by uttering boastful, empty words,^(AA) they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped^[h] from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.^{(AB) 20} For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord^[i] and Savior Jesus Christ,^(AC) they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.^{(AD) 21} For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness^(AE) than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command^(AF) delivered^(AG) to them.^{(AH) 22} It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit,^[j](AI) and, “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.”