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Those had taken Jesus… led him away to Caiaphas the high priest (where all the chief priests, the scribes and the elders were gathered together with him), but Simon Peter had followed Jesus from a distance (as did another disciple). Now that disciple was known to the high priest and entered in with Jesus to the court of the high priest, and was sitting with the officers to see the end (warming himself in the light of the fire)… but Peter was standing at the door outside. So, the other disciple (who was known to the high priest) went out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought in Peter.
When the servants and the officers were standing there, they had kindled a fire of coals in the middle of the courtyard (for it was cold). They were warming themselves and had sat down together. Peter was standing and warming himself among them, outside in the court. Then a certain servant girl (maid) who kept the door, saw him as he sat in the light… and looking intently at him, said to Peter, “Are you also one of Jesus, the Galilean’s disciples? This man also was with him!” But he denied Jesus before them all. He said, “Woman, I am not! I don’t know him… I don’t know what you are talking about.”
The high priest therefore asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said.” When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil… but if well – why do you beat me?” Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus… to put him to death (and they found none). Even though many false witnesses came forward, their testimony didn’t agree with each other. But at last two false witnesses stood up and came forward against him, and said, “We heard him say, ‘I am able to and will destroy this temple of God that is made with hands, and I will build another made without hands in three days.’” Even so, their testimony did not agree. The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?” But Jesus held his peace, stayed quiet, and answered nothing. The high priest answered him, “I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ… the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said it.” Again, the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “I am. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power… and coming on the clouds of the sky.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think?” They answered, “He is worthy of death!” Then some began to spit in his face, and to cover his face and beat him with their fists. Some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy! Prophesy to us, you Christ… who hit you? What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands. They all condemned him to be worthy of death.
Now, Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard below, and warming himself. After a little while, one of the maids of the high priest came and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him (when he had gone out onto the porch), and said “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!” To those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth” They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” Again, he denied it, and with an oath, saying, “Man, I am not! I don’t know the man. I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.”
After a little while passed (about one hour), another of the servants of the high priest who stood by (being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off), came and confidently affirmed to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech shows it. Didn’t I see you in the garden with him? (Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!)” The maid began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.” Then Peter began to curse and to swear (denied again), “Man… I don’t know this man of whom you speak! I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately (while he was still speaking out on the porch), the rooster crowed the second time.
The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” He went out and wept bitterly. When he thought about that… he wept.
SOURCE TEXT PRIORITIZATION:__________________________________
- John 18:12-27
- Matthew 26:57-75
- Mark 14:53-72
- Luke 22:54-62
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