MAT 26:57-68

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

57Those who had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled. [26:58] Peter was following him from afar, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and having entered within, he was sitting with the attendants to see the end. [26:59] And the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, so that they might put him to death, [26:60] and they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But later, two having come forward, two false witnesses [26:61] said: 'This man was saying, "I am able to destroy the temple of God and in three days to rebuild it."' [26:62] And having stood up, the high priest said to him: 'Have you no answer? What is it that these witnesses testify against you?' [26:63] And Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him: 'I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us if you yourself are the Christ, the Son of God.' [26:64] Jesus said to him: 'You yourself have said it. But I say to you, from now on you will behold the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.' [26:65] Then the high priest tore his outer garments, saying: 'He has blasphemed! Why do we still have need of witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy. [26:66] What do you think?' And answering, they said: 'He is deserving of death.' [26:67] Then they spat in his face and struck him with fists. And some struck him with blows, [26:68] saying: 'Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is it that struck you?'

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Jewish context, Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin reflects the high-stakes interplay of religious and political authority. The Sanhedrin, composed of chief priests, scribes, and elders, was the supreme Jewish council, vested with the authority to adjudicate matters of religious law. Caiaphas, the high priest, held significant power, not only as a religious leader but also as a political figure mediating between Jewish tradition and Roman oversight. The charge of blasphemy, centered on Jesus’ alleged claim to destroy and rebuild the temple, was deeply provocative. The temple was the heart of Jewish identity, and any threat to it was seen as an attack on both religious and national stability. The tearing of garments by the high priest was a ritualized expression of outrage, signaling the gravity of the accusation. The use of false witnesses underscores the desperation to find a charge that would justify execution, reflecting the tension between maintaining Jewish law and appeasing Roman authorities. The scene unfolds in the , the inner courtyard of the high priest’s residence, a space where servants and officials mingled, highlighting the public yet controlled nature of the proceedings.

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How other translations render this

MAT 26:57

KJV: And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
BSB: Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
Koinōnos: Those who had seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.

MAT 26:58

KJV: But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
BSB: But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he went in and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
Koinōnos: Peter was following him from afar, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and having entered within, he was sitting with the attendants to see the end.

MAT 26:59

KJV: Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
BSB: Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
Koinōnos: And the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, so that they might put him to death,

MAT 26:60

KJV: But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
BSB: But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
Koinōnos: and they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. But later, two having come forward, two false witnesses

MAT 26:61

KJV: And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
BSB: and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
Koinōnos: said: 'This man was saying, "I am able to destroy the temple of God and in three days to rebuild it."

MAT 26:62

KJV: And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
BSB: So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”
Koinōnos: And having stood up, the high priest said to him: 'Have you no answer? What is it that these witnesses testify against you?

MAT 26:63

KJV: But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
BSB: But Jesus remained silent. Then 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.”
Koinōnos: And Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him: 'I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us if you yourself are the Christ, the Son of God.

MAT 26:64

KJV: Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
BSB: “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Koinōnos: Jesus said to him: 'You yourself have said it. But I say to you, from now on you will behold the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.

MAT 26:65

KJV: Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
BSB: At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.
Koinōnos: Then the high priest tore his outer garments, saying: 'He has blasphemed! Why do we still have need of witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy.

MAT 26:66

KJV: What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
BSB: What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered.
Koinōnos: What do you think?' And answering, they said: 'He is deserving of death.

MAT 26:67

KJV: Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
BSB: Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him
Koinōnos: Then they spat in his face and struck him with fists. And some struck him with blows,

MAT 26:68

KJV: Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
BSB: and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”
Koinōnos: saying: 'Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is it that struck you?

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3

“And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him”

Cited to ground: Caiaphas, the high priest, held significant power, not only as a religious leader but also as a political figure mediating between Jewish tradition and Roman oversight.

Translator's notes

MAT 26:58

court:The word translated 'court' here refers to an open, unroofed courtyard or quadrangle within a larger house or palace complex, not an enclosed room.
guards:The term translated 'guards' more broadly refers to an attendant or servant, someone who performs duties for another, not necessarily a military or security guard.

MAT 26:63

to Him;:The phrase translated 'I put you under oath' or 'I adjure you' indicates a solemn and binding command, invoking a divine authority to compel a truthful answer.

MAT 26:65

garments:The word translated 'garments' specifically refers to the outer cloak or mantle worn over other clothing, which was often torn as a sign of extreme distress or protest.