New Testament in a Year
51 At that moment, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword. He pulled it out and struck the slave of the high priest with it. He cut off the slave’s ear.
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I can’t ask my Father for help? He would send an army of more than 70,000 angels right away. 54 But then how would the Scriptures come true? They say it must happen in this way.”
55 At that time Jesus spoke to the crowd. “Am I leading a band of armed men against you?” he asked. “Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courtyard teaching. And you didn’t arrest me. 56 But all this has happened so that the words of the prophets would come true.” Then all the disciples left him and ran away.
Jesus Is Taken to the Sanhedrin
57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders had come together there. 58 Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see what would happen.
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. 60 But they did not find any proof, even though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally, two other witnesses came forward. 61 They said, “This fellow claimed, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God. I can build it again in three days.’ ”
62 Then the high priest stood up. He asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I am commanding you in the name of the living God. May he judge you if you don’t tell the truth. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But here is what I say to all of you. From now on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes. He said, “He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. 66 What do you think?”
“He must die!” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. 68 They said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit you?”
Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus
69 Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. A female servant came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But in front of all of them, Peter said he was not. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gate leading into the courtyard. There another servant saw him. She said to the people, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 Again he said he was not. With a curse he said, “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter. “You must be one of them,” they said. “The way you talk gives you away.”
74 Then Peter began to curse and said to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Right away a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said. “The rooster will crow,” Jesus had told him. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.
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