014:043 Immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve,
came and with him a crowd of men armed with swords and cudgels,
sent by the High Priests and Scribes and Elders.
014:044 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them.
"The one I kiss," he said, "is the man: lay hold of him,
and take him safely away."
014:045 So he came, and going straight to Jesus he said, "Rabbi!"
and kissed Him with seeming affection;
014:046 whereupon they laid hands on Him and held Him firmly.
014:047 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck a blow
at the High Priest's servant, cutting off his ear.
014:048 "Have you come out," said Jesus, "with swords and cudgels
to arrest me, as if you had to fight with a robber?
014:049 Day after day I used to be among you in the Temple teaching,
and you never seized me. But this is happening in order
that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.'
014:050 Then His friends all forsook Him and fled.
014:051 One youth indeed did follow Him, wearing only a linen cloth
round his bare body. Of him they laid hold,
014:052 but he left the linen cloth in their hands and fled without it.
014:053 So they led Jesus away to the High Priest, and with him there
assembled all the High Priests, Elders, and Scribes.
014:054 Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court
of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting
among the officers, and warming himself by the fire.
014:055 Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were
endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put
Him to death, but could find none;
014:056 for though many gave false testimony against Him, their statements
did not tally.
014:057 Then some came forward as witnesses and falsely declared,
014:058 "We have heard him say, 'I will pull down this Sanctuary
built by human hands, and three days afterwards I will erect
another built without hands.'"
014:059 But not even in this shape was their testimony consistent.
014:060 At last the High Priest stood up, and advancing into the midst
of them all, asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make?
What is the meaning of all this that these witnesses
allege against you?"
014:061 But He remained silent, and gave no reply. A second time
the High Priest questioned Him. "Are you the Christ,
the Son of the Blessed One?" he said.
014:062 "I am," replied Jesus, "and you and others will see the Son
of Man sitting at the right hand of the divine Power,
and coming amid the clouds of the sky."
014:063 Rending his garments the High Priest exclaimed, "What need
have we of witnesses after that?
014:064 You all heard his impious words. What is your judgement?"
Then with one voice they condemned Him as deserving of death.
014:065 Thereupon some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him,
while striking Him with their fists and crying, "Prove that you
are a prophet." The officers too struck Him with open hands
as they took Him in charge.
014:066 Now while Peter was below in the quadrangle, one of the
High Priest's maidservants came,
014:067 and seeing Peter warming himself she looked at him and said,
"You also were with Jesus, the Nazarene."
014:068 But he denied it, and said, "I don't know--I don't understand--
What do you mean?" And then he went out into the outer court.
Just then a cock crowed.
014:069 Again the maidservant saw him, and again began to say to
the people standing by, "He is one of them."
014:070 A second time he repeatedly denied it. Soon afterwards
the bystanders again accused Peter, saying, "You are surely
one of them, for you too are a Galilaean."
014:071 But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know
nothing of the man you are talking about."
014:072 No sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed for the second time,
and Peter recollected the words of Jesus, "Before the
cock crows twice, you will three times disown me."
And as he thought of it, he wept aloud.
015:001 At earliest dawn, after the High Priests had held a consultation
with the Elders and Scribes, they and the entire Sanhedrin
bound Jesus and took Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.
015:002 So Pilate questioned Him. "Are *you* the King of the Jews?"
he asked. "I am," replied Jesus.
015:003 Then, as the High Priests went on heaping accusations on Him,
015:004 Pilate again and again asked Him, "Do you make no reply?
Listen to the many charges they are bringing against you."
015:005 But Jesus made no further answer: so that Pilate wondered.
015:006 Now at the Festival it was customary for Pilate to release to
the Jews any one prisoner whom they might beg off from punishment;
015:007 and at this time a man named Barabbas was in prison
among the insurgents--persons who in the insurrection
had committed murder.
015:008 So the people came crowding up, asking Pilate to grant them
the usual favour.
015:009 "Shall I release for you the King of the Jews?" answered Pilate.
015:010 For he could see that it was out of sheer spite that the
High Priests had handed Him over.
015:011 But the High Priests urged on the crowd to obtain Barabbas's
release in preference;
015:012 and when Pilate again asked them, "What then shall I do to
the man you call King of the Jews?"