JESUS 


BROUGHT BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST. 



THE men who laid hold on Jesus led him away to Annas, who had formerly been high priest, and was father-in-law to Caiaphas who, being high priest that • same year, had given council to the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die for the people. It seems that Annas did not detain Jesus very long, but sent him immediately to Caiaphas, for the record says, 

"Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house." 

"And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. 

Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her who kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door, unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.  And the servants and the officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. 

"The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly unto the world; 

I ever talked in the synagogue, and in the temple whither the Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them; behold they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers who stood by struck him with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. 

And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also, one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied, and immediately the cock crew." "And the Lord turned, 

and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly." 

"And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another, made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee'? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 

And Jesus said, I am, and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 

"Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy; what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophecy; and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands," "saying, Prophecy unto us, thou Christ, who is it that smote thee?"  "And many other things blasphemously spake they against him:"