Matthew 26:59

Matthew 26:59 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
• New International Version (NIV)The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,

Context of Matthew 26:59

57Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had convened. 58Peter was following him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death, 60but they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward 61stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

Matthew 26:59 word by word

Οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ τὸ συνέδριον ὅλον ἐζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν θανατώσωσιν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• the chief priestsἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
• allὅλοςholos · allG3650
• the councilσυνέδριονsunedrion · councilG4892
• soughtζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• false witnessψευδομαρτυρίαpseudomarturia · false testimonyG5577
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• toὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
• putθανατόωthanatoō · to killG2289
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 26:59

• Deuteronomy 19:16“If a malicious witness testifies against someone accusing him of a crime,
• 1 Kings 21:8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
• Psalms 27:12Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
• Psalms 35:11Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know.
• Psalms 94:20Can a corrupt throne be your ally, a throne that makes evil laws?
• Proverbs 25:18A person giving false testimony against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
• Mark 14:55The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they could not find any.
• Acts 6:11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
• Acts 24:1Five days later Ananias the high priest came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. These men presented their case against Paul to the governor.

Commentaries on Matthew 26:59

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 59All the council sought false witness - What a prostitution of justice! - they first resolve to ruin him, and then seek the proper means of effecting it: they declare him criminal, and after that do all they can to fix some crime upon him, that they may appear to have some shadow of justice on their side when they put him to death. It seems to have been a common custom of this vile court to employ false witness, on any occasion, to answer their own ends…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 59False witness - That is, they sought for witnesses who would accuse him of crime of violation of the laws of the land or of God. We are not to suppose that “they wished” them to be “false” witnesses. They were indifferent, probably, whether they were true or false, if they could succeed in condemning him. “The evangelist” calls it false testimony. Before these witnesses were sought, we learn from John John 18:19-23 that the high priest asked Jesus of his…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 57-68Verses 57-68 Jesus was hurried into Jerusalem. It looks ill, and bodes worse, when those who are willing to be Christ's disciples, are not willing to be known to be so. Here began Peter's denying him: for to follow Christ afar off, is to begin to go back from him. It is more our concern to prepare for the end, whatever it may be, than curiously to ask what the end will be. The event is God's, but the duty is ours. Now the Scriptures were fulfilled, which…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 59were seeking false testimony: The verb tense suggests a long and possibly desperate attempt to find any testimony to support a formal accusation (see Mark 14:55–56).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 26:59

• Accusation, False
• Church
• Court
• False Teachers
• Government
• Jesus, the Christ
• Judge
• Perjury
• Persecution
• Prayer
• Priest
• Prisoners
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Adjure
• Annas
• Blood
• Covenant
• Cup
• Curse
• Elder
• Friend

Commentaries on Matthew 26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings