Matthew 26:58-75
26:58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After
going in, he sat with the guards
to see the outcome.
26:59 The
chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally
two came forward
26:61 and declared, “This man
said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
26:62 So
the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”
26:63 But Jesus was silent. The
high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ,
the Son of God.”
26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man
sitting at the right hand of the Power
and
coming on the clouds of heaven.”
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared,
“He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now
you have heard the blasphemy!
26:66 What is your verdict?”
They
answered, “He is guilty and deserves
death.”
26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,
26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ!
Who hit you?”
Peter’s Denials
26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A slave girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”
26:70 But he denied it in front of them all: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
26:71 When he went out to the gateway, another slave girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”
26:72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!”
26:73 After a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent gives you away!”
26:74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed.
26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.