Matthew 26:45-75

45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”

47While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.

48(Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him!”)

49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.

50Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold of Jesus and arrested him.

51But one of those with Jesus grabbed his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword.

53Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions of angels right now?

54How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?”

55At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet you did not arrest me.

56But this has happened so that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house the experts in the law and the elders had gathered.

58But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After going in, he sat with the guards to see the outcome.

59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.

60But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

61and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62So the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”

63But Jesus was silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

64Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now you have heard the blasphemy!

66What is your verdict?” They answered, “He is guilty and deserves death.”

67Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,

68saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! Who hit you?”

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A slave girl came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”

70But he denied it in front of them all: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

71When he went out to the gateway, another slave girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.”

72He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!”

73After a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent gives you away!”

74At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed.

75Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.