26 57 JESUS WAS LED OFF under arrest to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest, where the lawyers and elders were assembled. 26 58 Peter followed him at a distance till he came to the High Priest's courtyard, and going in he sat down there among the attendants, meaning to see the end of it all. 26 59 The chief priests and the whole Council tried to find some allegation against Jesus on which a death-sentence could be based; 26 60 but they failed to find one, though many came forward with false evidence. Finally two men 26 61 alleged that he had said, 'I can pull down the temple of God, and rebuild it in three days.' 26 62 At this the High Priest rose and said to him, 'Have you no answer the the charge that these witnesses bring against you?' 26 63 But Jesus kept silence. The High Priest then said, 'By the living God I charge you to tell us: Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?' 26 64 [ Ps.110.1, Dn.7.13. ] Jesus replied, "The words are yours. Or: It is as you say. But I tell you this: from now on, you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God Literally: of the Power. and coming on the clouds of heaven.' 26 65 At these words the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, 'Blasphemy! Need we call further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. 26 66 What is your opinion?' 'He is guilty,' they answered; 'he should die.' 26 67 Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists; 26 68 and others said, as they struck him, 'Now, Messiah, if you are a prophet, tell us who hit you.' - Peter's Denial of Jesus Mt.26.69-75 (Jerusalem)- Mk.14.66-72, Lk.22.56-62, Jn.18.15-18, Jn.18.25-27 | NEB Contents | notes
26 69 Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard when a serving-maid accosted him and said, "You were there too with Jesus the Galilean.' 26 70 Peter denied it in face of them all. 'I do not know what you mean', he said. 26 71 He then went out to the gateway, where another girl, seeing him, said to the people there, 'This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.' 26 72 Once again he denied it, saying with an oath, 'I do not know the man.' 26 73 Shortly afterwards the bystanders came up and said to Peter, 'Surely you are another of them; your accent gives you away!' 26 74 At this he broke into curses and declared with an oath: 'I do not know the man.' At that moment the cock crew. 26 75 And Peter remembered how Jesus had said, 'Before the cock crows you will disown me three times.' He went outside, and wept bitterly.