Mark 14:53-72

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.

66Peter was still sitting outside in the yard. One of the young women who was a servant of the most important priest came there.

67She saw Peter, who was making himself warm by the fire. She looked at him and she said, ‘You also were a friend of Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’

68Peter replied, ‘That is not true! I do not even know what you are talking about!’ Then Peter went out to the gate of the yard. At that moment a cockerel sang.

69The young woman watched him, and again she said to the other people there, ‘He is one of the men who were friends of Jesus.’

70But Peter again said that it was not true. After a little time, the other people who were standing there said to Peter, ‘We know you are from Galilee. So we are sure that you are one of those men.’

71Then Peter began to speak very strongly to them. He said, ‘I do not know this man that you are talking about. God will surely punish me if this is not true!’

72Immediately a cockerel sang loudly for a second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: ‘You will say three times that you do not know me. You will do it before the cockerel sings for the second time.’ When Peter thought about this, he wept very much.