Mark 14:53-72

Death Plot and Anointing

⁵³They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes *gathered together. ⁵⁴And Peter had followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the fire. ⁵⁵Now the chief priests and the entire Council were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. ⁵⁶For many people were giving false testimony against Him, and so their testimonies were not consistent. ⁵⁷And then some stood up and began giving false testimony against Him, saying, ⁵⁸“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that was made by hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.’ ” ⁵⁹And not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. ⁶⁰And then the high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not offer any answer for what these men are testifying against You?” ⁶¹But He kept silent and did not offer any answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and *said to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶²And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” ⁶³Tearing his clothes, the high priest *said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him as deserving of death. ⁶⁵And some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists and say to Him, “Prophesy!” Then the officers took custody of Him and slapped Him in the face.

Peter’s Denials

⁶⁶And while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the slave women of the high priest *came, ⁶⁷and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and *said, “You were with Jesus the Nazarene as well.” ⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he went out onto the porch. ⁶⁹The slave woman saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them!” ⁷⁰But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “You really are one of them, for you are a Galilean as well.” ⁷¹But he began to curse himself and to swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!” ⁷²And immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he hurried on and began to weep.