The Plot to Kill Jesus^(A)

26 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, ^2 (B)“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

^3 (C)Then the chief priests, ^[a]the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, ⁴ and ^(D)plotted to take Jesus by ^[b]trickery and kill Him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the ^(E)people.”

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin^(A)

^57 (B)And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. ⁵⁸ But ^(C)Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

⁵⁹ Now the chief priests, ^[a]the elders, and all the council sought ^(D)false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, ^60 [b]but found none. Even though ^(E)many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last ^(F)two ^[c]false witnesses came forward ⁶¹ and said, “This fellow said, ^(G)‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

^62 (H)And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” ⁶³ But ^(I)Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ^(J)“I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, ^(K)hereafter you will see the Son of Man ^(L)sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

^65 (M)Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His ^(N)blasphemy! ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

They answered and said, ^(O)“He is deserving of death.”

^67 (P)Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and ^(Q)others struck Him with ^[d]the palms of their hands, ⁶⁸ saying, ^(R)“Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate^(A)

27 When morning came, ^(B)all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. ² And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and ^(C)delivered Him to ^[a]Pontius Pilate the governor.

Jesus Faces Pilate^(A)

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor. ^(B)And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, ^(C)“It is as you say.” ¹² And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, ^(D)He answered nothing.

¹³ Then Pilate said to Him, ^(E)“Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Taking the Place of Barabbas^(F)

^15 (G)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. ¹⁶ And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called ^[a]Barabbas. ¹⁷ Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of ^(H)envy.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

^20 (I)But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, ^(J)“Barabbas!”

²² Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³ Then the governor said, ^(K)“Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a ^[b]tumult was rising, he ^(L)took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this ^[c]just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵ And all the people answered and said, ^(M)“His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when ^(N)he had ^[d]scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.