Mark 14:43-65

43Jesus was still speaking when, immediately, Judas arrived. He was one of Jesus' 12 apostles. A crowd came with him. They were carrying swords and heavy sticks. The leaders of the priests, the teachers of God's Law and the important Jews had sent these men.

44Before this, Judas had told these men, ‘I will kiss one of the men. You must take hold of that man. Lead him away and do not let him go.’

45When they arrived, Judas went immediately to Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said to Jesus. Then he kissed Jesus in a friendly way.

46So the men took hold of Jesus to lead him away.

47But a certain man who was standing there took hold of his sword. He hit the servant of the leader of the priests with it and he cut off the servant's ear.

48Then Jesus spoke to the crowd. He said, ‘You have come out here with swords and heavy sticks to take hold of me. Do you really think that I am leading people to fight against our country's rulers?

49No! I was with you every day when I was teaching people in the yard of the temple. You did not try to take hold of me then. But this must happen in the way that the Bible says it would happen.’

50Then all Jesus' disciples left him and they ran away.

51A certain young man was following Jesus. He was wearing only one piece of linen cloth to cover himself. The men tried to take hold of this young man.

52But the young man left the piece of cloth behind and he ran away. So when he ran away, he was not wearing anything.

53The men took Jesus to the house of the most important priest. All the leaders of the priests met together there with the important Jews and with the teachers of God's Law.

54Peter followed Jesus into the yard of Caiaphas's house. But he did not go near Jesus. He sat down in the yard with the guards and he made himself warm by the fire.

55The leaders of the priests and all the Jewish leaders wanted to punish Jesus with death. So they tried to find some people who would say things against Jesus. But they did not find anyone who could help them.

56Many people said things against Jesus that were not true. But they did not agree with each other in what they said.

57Then some men stood up and they said something false against Jesus.

58They said, ‘We heard Jesus say, “I will destroy the temple, which men have built. In three days I will build another House for God. It will not be people who build this new house.” ’

59Even then, these people who were speaking against Jesus did not say the same thing.

60Then Caiaphas stood up in front of everyone. He said to Jesus, ‘You must reply now to what these men have said against you. Are the things that they are saying true?’

61But Jesus did not reply. He did not say anything. So again, Caiaphas asked Jesus, ‘Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of God?’

62‘I am,’ Jesus replied. ‘And you will all see the Son of Man. He will be sitting in the most important place at the right side of the Most Powerful God. You will see him coming to earth. He will be riding on the clouds in the sky.’

63Then Caiaphas tore his clothes to show that he was angry. ‘We do not need anyone else to speak against Jesus,’ he said.

64‘You have heard the bad words that he has spoken against God. Do you think that he is guilty?’ Everyone agreed that Jesus deserved to die.

65Then some of the men began to spit on Jesus. They covered his eyes with a cloth and they hit him many times with their fists. They said, ‘Show us that you are a prophet! Tell us who hit you!’ Then the guards took hold of Jesus and they beat him.