But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.

<t /><p class="bodytext">They came again to Jerusalem.<n id="1" /> While Jesus<n id="2" /> was walking in the temple courts,<n id="3" /> the chief priests, the experts in the law,<n id="4" /> and the elders came up to him

<t /><p class="bodytext">Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law<n id="1" /> were trying to find a way<n id="2" /> to arrest Jesus<n id="3" /> by stealth and kill him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law<n id="2" /> came together.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law<n id="1" /> and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.<n id="2" />

In the same way even the chief priests &#8211; together with the experts in the law<n id="1" /> &#8211; were mocking him among themselves:<n id="2" /> &#8220;He saved others, but he cannot save himself!

<p class="bodytext">Jesus<n id="1" /> was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the law<n id="2" /> and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinate<n id="3" /> him,

Then<n id="1" /> Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,<n id="2" /> and the elders who had come out to get him, &#8220;Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law.<n id="1" /> Then<n id="2" /> they led Jesus<n id="3" /> away to their council<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">The Pharisees<n id="1" /> heard the crowd<n id="2" /> murmuring these things about Jesus,<n id="3" /> so the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers<n id="4" /> to arrest him.<n id="5" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then the officers<n id="1" /> returned<n id="2" /> to the chief priests and Pharisees,<n id="3" /> who said to them, &#8220;Why didn&#8217;t you bring him back with you?&#8221;<n id="4" />

So the chief priests and the Pharisees<n id="1" /> called the council<n id="2" /> together and said, &#8220;What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs.

(Now the chief priests and the Pharisees<n id="1" /> had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus<n id="2" /> was should report it, so that they could arrest<n id="3" /> him.)<n id="4" />p>

Pilate answered, &#8220;I am not a Jew, am I?<n id="1" /> Your own people<n id="2" /> and your chief priests handed you over<n id="3" /> to me. What have you done?&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">While Peter and John<n id="1" /> were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander<n id="2" /> of the temple guard<n id="3" /> and the Sadducees<n id="4" /> came up<n id="5" /> to them,

<t /><p class="bodytext">When they were released, Peter and John<n id="1" /> went to their fellow believers<n id="2" /> and reported everything the high priests and the elders had said to them.

Now when the commander<n id="1" /> of the temple guard<n id="2" /> and the chief priests heard this report,<n id="3" /> they were greatly puzzled concerning it,<n id="4" /> wondering what this could<n id="5" /> be.

When I was in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed<n id="2" /> me about him,<n id="3" /> asking for a sentence of condemnation<n id="4" /> against him.

For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness,<n id="1" /> but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever.p>