New Testament in a Year

⁵¹ Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. ⁵² Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword. ⁵³ Don’t you think that I could call on my Father, and he would send me more than twelve legions of angels now? ⁵⁴ How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?”

⁵⁵ At this point,^[a] Jesus asked the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a bandit?^[b] Day after day I sat teaching in the Temple, yet you didn’t arrest me. ⁵⁶ But all of this has happened so that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples deserted Jesus^[c] and ran away.

Jesus is Tried before the High Priest^(A)

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled. ⁵⁸ Peter, however, followed him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard. He went inside and sat down with the servants to see how this would end.

⁵⁹ Meanwhile, the high priests and the whole Council^[d] were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to have him put to death. ⁶⁰ But they couldn’t find any, even though many false witnesses had come forward. At last two men came forward ⁶¹ and stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the sanctuary of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

⁶² At this, the high priest stood up and asked Jesus,^[e] “Don’t you have any answer to what these men are testifying against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest told him, “I command you by the living God to tell us if you are the Messiah,^[f] the Son of God!”

⁶⁴ Jesus told him, “You have said so. Nevertheless I tell you, from now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power’^[g] and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’”^[h]

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Listen! You yourselves have just heard the blasphemy! ⁶⁶ What is your verdict?”

They replied, “He deserves to die!”

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and hit him. Some slapped him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah!^[i] Who hit^[j] you?”

Peter Denies Jesus^(B)

⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard when a servant girl came up to him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.”

⁷⁰ But he denied it in front of them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” he exclaimed.

⁷¹ As he went out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”^[k]

⁷² Again he denied it and swore with an oath, “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, the people who were standing there came up and told Peter, “Obviously you’re also one of them, because your accent gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then he began to curse violently. “I don’t know the man!” he swore solemnly. Just then a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Peter remembered the words of Jesus when he said, “Before a rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.” Then he went outside and cried bitterly.