New Testament in a Year
54 Peter followed Jesus[a] at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the servants and warming himself at the fire. 55 Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Council[b] were looking for some testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death, but they couldn’t find any. 56 Although many people gave false testimony against him, their testimony didn’t agree.
57 Then some men stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, 58 “We ourselves heard him say, ‘I will destroy this sanctuary made by human[c] hands, and in three days I will build another one not made by human[d] hands.’” 59 But even on this point their testimony didn’t agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them[e] and asked Jesus, “Don’t you have any answer to what these men are testifying against you?” 61 But he kept silent and didn’t answer at all. The high priest asked him again, “Are you the Messiah,[f] the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 Jesus said, “I AM, and
‘you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power’[g]
and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’”[h]
63 Then the high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we still need witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard his blasphemy! What is your verdict?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.
65 Some of them began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and kept hitting him with their fists and telling him, “Prophesy!” Even the servants took him and slapped him around.
Peter Denies Jesus(A)
66 While Peter was down in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant girls came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she glared at him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus from Nazareth.”
68 But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know—or even understand—what you’re talking about!” Then he went out into the entryway. Just then a rooster crowed.[i]
69 The servant girl saw him and again told those who were standing around, “This man is one of them!” 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while, the people who were standing there began to say to Peter again, “Obviously you’re one of them, because you are a Galilean!”
71 Then he began to invoke a divine curse and to swear with an oath, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” 72 Just then a rooster crowed a second time.
Peter remembered that Jesus told him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” Then he broke down and cried.
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