Jesus before the High Priest

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ But Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards in order to see how this would end.^{(A) 59} Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, ⁶⁰ but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward^{(B) 61} and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”^{(C) 62} The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God.”^{(D) 64} Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you,

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy.^{(F) 66} What do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death.”^{(G) 67} Then they spat in his face and struck him, and some slapped him,^{(H) 68} saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!^[b] Who is it that struck you?”

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A female servant came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before all of them, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ When he went out to the porch, another female servant saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”^{[c] 72} 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 are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment the cock crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.^(I)

⁵⁵ Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.

⁶¹ But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah,^[a] the Son of the Blessed One?”^{(A) 62} Jesus said, “I am, and

⁶⁴ You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.^(A)

¹⁶ but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in.

⁵⁹ Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean.”