Study Desk

While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived.^(af) A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people.

His betrayer had given them a sign: "The One I kiss, He's the One; arrest Him!"

So he went right up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him.

"Friend," ^(ag) Jesus asked him, "why have you come?" ^[r] Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested Him.

At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest's slave and cut off his ear.^(ah)

Then Jesus told him, "Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword.^(ai)

Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions^[s] of angels?^(aj)

How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(ak) that say it must happen this way?"

At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal,^[t] to capture Me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple complex, and you didn't arrest Me.^(al)

But all this has happened so that the prophetic Scriptures ^[u](am) would be fulfilled." Then all the disciples^(an) deserted Him and ran away.

Those^(ao) who had arrested Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas^(ap) the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened.

Meanwhile, Peter was following Him at a distance right to the high priest's courtyard.^[v] He went in and was sitting with the temple police^[w] to see the outcome.^[x](aq)

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.^(ar)

But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses^(as) came forward.^[y] Finally, two^[z] who came forward

stated, "This man said, ‘I can demolish God's sanctuary^(at) and rebuild it in three days.'"

The high priest then stood up and said to Him, "Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?"

But^(au) Jesus kept silent.^(av) Then the high priest said to Him, "By the living God I place You under oath:^(aw) tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God!"^(ax)

"You have said it," ^[aa] Jesus told him. "But I tell you, in the future^[ab] you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven ." ^(ay)[ac]

Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed!^(az) Why do we still need witnesses? Look, now you've heard the blasphemy!^(ba)

What is your decision?"^[ad] They answered, "He deserves death!"^(bb)

Then they spit in His face^(bc) and beat Him; others slapped Him

and said, "Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit You?"^(bd)

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.^(be) A servant approached him and she said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean too."

But he denied it in front of everyone: "I don't know what you're talking about!"

When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!"^(bf)

And again he denied it with an oath,^(bg) "I don't know the man!"

After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them, since even your accent^[ae] gives you away."

Then he started to curse^[af] and to swear with an oath, "I do not know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed,

and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." ^(bh) And he went outside and wept bitterly.