Story: Jesus on Trial

Matthew 27:1-27:26

1 Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2 and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.”

5 He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, “It’s not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.”

7 They took counsel, and bought the potter’s field with them, to bury strangers in.

8 Therefore that field was called “The Field of Blood” to this day.

9 Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced,

10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “So you say.”

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they testify against you?”

14 He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.

16 They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”

18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.”

20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”

23 But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

24 So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”

25 All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!”

26 Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.

Mark 14:53-14:65

53 They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.

54 Peter had followed him from a distance, until he came into the court of the high priest. He was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire.

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.

56 For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony didn’t agree with each other.

57 Some stood up, and gave false testimony against him, saying,

58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’”

59 Even so, their testimony did not agree.

60 The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?”

61 But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”

62 Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.”

63 The high priest tore his clothes, and said, “What further need have we of witnesses?

64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death.

65 Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.

Mark 15:1-15:15

1 Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.

2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.”

3 The chief priests accused him of many things.

4 Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!”

5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.

6 Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they asked of him.

7 There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder.

8 The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them.

9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

10 For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead.

12 Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

13 They cried out again, “Crucify him!”

14 Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”

15 Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.

Luke 22:66-23:25

66 As soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people were gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away into their council, saying,

67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe,

68 and if I ask, you will in no way answer me or let me go.

69 From now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

70 They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say it, because I am.”

71 They said, “Why do we need any more witness? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth!”

1 The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.

2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “So you say.”

4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

5 But they insisted, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place.”

6 But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean.

7 When he found out that he was in Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.

8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him.

9 He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers.

10 The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.

11 Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate.

12 Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and behold, having examined him before you, I found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.

15 Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.

16 I will therefore chastise him and release him.”

17 Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.

18 But they all cried out together, saying, “Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!”—

19 one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder.

20 Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,

21 but they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

22 He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”

23 But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.

24 Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done.

25 He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.

John 18:12-18:14

12 So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,

13 and led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should perish for the people.

John 18:19-19:6

19 The high priest therefore asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his teaching.

20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret.

21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said.”

22 When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?”

23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?”

24 Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, “You aren’t also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

26 One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”

27 Peter therefore denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.

28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn’t enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

29 Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”

30 They answered him, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you.”

31 Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”

32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

33 Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered him, “Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”

35 Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”

37 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

39 But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

40 Then they all shouted again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

1 So Pilate then took Jesus, and flogged him.

2 The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment.

3 They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him.

4 Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”

5 Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!”

6 When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”