026:047 He had scarcely finished speaking when Judas came--
one of the Twelve--accompanied by a great crowd of men armed
with swords and bludgeons, sent by the High Priests and Elders
of the People.
026:048 Now the betrayer had agreed upon a sign with them, to direct them.
He had said, "The one whom I kiss is the man:
lay hold of him."
026:049 So he went straight to Jesus and said, "Peace to you, Rabbi!" And he
kissed Him eagerly.
026:050 "Friend," said Jesus, "carry out your intention." Then they
came and laid their hands on Jesus and seized Him firmly.
026:051 But one of those with Jesus drew his sword and struck
the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear.
026:052 "Put back your sword again," said Jesus, "for all who draw
the sword shall perish by the sword.
026:053 Or do you suppose I cannot entreat my Father and He would
instantly send to my help more than twelve legions of angels?
026:054 In that case how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled which declare
that thus it must be?"
026:055 Then said Jesus to the crowds, "Have you come out as if to fight
with a robber, with swords and bludgeons to apprehend me?
Day after day I have been sitting teaching in the Temple,
and you did not arrest me.
026:056 But all this has taken place in order that the writings of
the Prophets may be fulfilled." At this point the disciples
all left Him and fled.
026:057 But the officers who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away
to Caiaphas the High Priest, at whose house the Scribes
and the Elders had assembled.
026:058 And Peter kept following Him at a distance, till he came even
to the court of the High Priest's palace, where he entered
and sat down among the officers to see the issue.
026:059 Meanwhile the High Priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking
false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death;
026:060 but they could find none, although many false witnesses came forward.
At length there came two
026:061 who testified, "This man said, `I am able to pull down the Sanctuary
of God and three days afterwards to build a new one.'"
026:062 Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you
no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in
evidence against you?"
026:063 Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him.
"In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put
you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ,
the Son of God."
026:064 "I am He," replied Jesus. "But I tell you that, later on,
you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand
of Omnipotence, and coming on the clouds of the sky."
026:065 Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, "Impious language!
What further need have we of witnesses! See, you have now
heard the impiety.
026:066 What is your verdict?" "He deserves to die," they replied.
026:067 Then they spat in His face, and struck Him--some with the fist,
some with the open hand--
026:068 while they taunted Him, saying, "Christ, prove yourself
a Prophet by telling us who it was that struck you."
026:069 Peter meanwhile was sitting outside in the court of the palace,
when one of the maidservants came over to him and said,
"You too were with Jesus the Galilaean."
026:070 He denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know
what you mean."
026:071 Soon afterwards he went out and stood in the gateway,
when another girl saw him, and said, addressing the people there,
"This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."
026:072 Again he denied it with an oath. "I do not know the man," he said.
026:073 A short time afterwards the people standing there came
and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them,
for your brogue shows it."
026:074 Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not know the man."
Immediately a cock crowed,
026:075 and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, how He had said,
"Before the cock crows you will three times disown me."
And he went out and wept aloud, bitterly.
027:001 When morning came all the High Priests and the Elders of the people
consulted together against Jesus to put Him to death;
027:002 and binding Him they led Him away and handed Him over to
Pilate the Governor.
027:003 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned,
smitten with remorse he brought back the thirty shekels
to the High Priests and Elders
027:004 and said, "I have sinned, in betraying to death one who
is innocent." "What does that matter to us?" they replied;
it is your business."
027:005 Flinging the shekels into the Sanctuary he left the place,
and went and hanged himself.
027:006 When the High Priests had gathered up the money they said,
"It is illegal to put it into the Treasury, because it is
the price of blood."
027:007 So after consulting together they spent the money in the purchase
of the Potter's Field as a burial place for people not belonging
to the city;
027:008 for which reason that piece of ground received the name,
which it still bears, of `the Field of Blood.'
027:009 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, "And I
took the thirty shekels, the price of the prized one on whom
Israelites had set a price,