Matthew 26:54-71

54They would save me. But then the things that God has said in the Bible about this would not happen. So it must happen in this way.’

55At that time, Jesus said to the crowd, ‘You have come out here with swords and heavy sticks to take hold of me. Do you really believe that I am leading people to fight against our country's rulers? No! I was teaching people every day in the yard of the temple. But you did not try to take hold of me then.

56The prophets wrote long ago that all this would happen to me. Now it has become true.’ Then all of Jesus' disciples ran away and left him.

57Then those men who had taken hold of Jesus took him to Caiaphas's house. Caiaphas was the most important priest. The teachers of God's Law and the important Jews were meeting there together with Caiaphas.

58Peter followed Jesus into the yard of Caiaphas' house. But he did not go near Jesus. He sat down in the yard with the police who worked in the temple. He wanted to see what would happen.

59The 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 that were not true.

60Many people did come. And they said things against Jesus that were not true. But still the Jewish leaders could not find a reason to kill Jesus. Then two men stood up and they said,

61‘We heard this man say, “I can destroy the temple and in three days I can build it again.” ’

62Then Caiaphas stood up. He said to Jesus, ‘You must reply now to what these men have said against you. Are the things that they say true?’

63But Jesus did not say anything. So Caiaphas said to him, ‘I use the authority of the God who lives. You must promise to tell us what is true. Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of God?’

64‘You have said it,’ Jesus replied. ‘And I tell all of you, soon you will 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 also see him coming to earth. He will be riding on the clouds in the sky.’

65Then Caiaphas tore his clothes to show that he was angry. He said, ‘Jesus has spoken bad words against God. We do not need anyone else to speak against him. You have heard him speak bad words against God.

66Do you think that he is guilty?’ They replied, ‘He is guilty and he deserves to die.’

67Then some of them spat into Jesus' face. They also hit him with their fists.

68When they hit him, they said, ‘Messiah! Show us that you are a prophet. Tell us who hit you!’

69While all these things were happening, Peter was sitting outside in the yard. One of the girls who worked there went to him and she said, ‘You were also a friend of Jesus, the man from Galilee.’

70Peter said in front of everyone who was there, ‘That is not true. I do not know what you are talking about.’

71Peter then went out to the gate, and another servant girl saw him. This girl said to the people who were standing there, ‘This man was a friend of Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’