Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus
54 Then the men arrested Jesus and led him away. They took him into the high priest's house. Peter followed from far away.
55
They started a fire in the middle of the courtyard. Then they sat down together. Peter sat down with them.
56
A female servant saw him sitting there in the firelight. She looked closely at him. Then she said, "This man was with Jesus."
57
But Peter said he had not been with him. "Woman, I don't know him," he said.
58
A little later someone else saw Peter. "You also are one of them," he said. "No," Peter replied. "I'm not!"
59
About an hour later, another person spoke up. "This fellow must have been with Jesus," he said. "He is from Galilee."
60
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.
61
The Lord turned and looked right at Peter. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had spoken to him. "The rooster will crow today," Jesus had said. "Before it does, you will say three times that you don't know me."
62
Peter went outside. He broke down and sobbed.
The Guards Make Fun of Jesus
63 There were men guarding Jesus. They began laughing at him and beating him.
64
They blindfolded him. They said, "Prophesy! Who hit you?"
65
They also said many other things to make fun of him.
Jesus Is Brought to Pilate and Herod
66 At dawn the elders of the people met together. These included the chief priests and the teachers of the law. Jesus was led to them.
67
"If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me.
68
And if I asked you, you would not answer.
69
But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."
70
They all asked, "Are you the Son of God then?" He replied, "You are right in saying that I am."
71
Then they said, "Why do we need any more witnesses? We have heard it from his own lips."