Keraia
Matthew 26

Matthew 26:59

Jesus before the Sanhedrin · Matthew 26:57–68
Read Matthew 26

Translations

Modern
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
Traditional
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Literal
And the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
Latin
Principes autem sacerdotum, et omne concilium, quærebant falsum testimonium contra Jesum, ut eum morti traderent:

Original

Greek
English
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.

Notes

Matthew 26:59

were seeking false testimony: The verb tense suggests a long and possibly desperate attempt to find any testimony to support a formal accusation (see Mark 14:55–56).

Matthew 26:57–68

This hearing was probably an informal meeting to agree on the charges. The Jewish leaders faced pressure to keep the hearing secret to avoid a riot (see Matthew 21:26, 46; 26:5, 55; John 11:45–53).

Matthew 26:57–27:26

The Gospels describe Jesus having five legal hearings:

  1. an informal hearing with Annas (John 18:13–24);

  2. a night hearing with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:59–66);

  3. a morning hearing with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:1–2);

  4. a hearing with Herod Antipas (Luke 23:6–12); and

  5. a two-part trial with Pilate (Matthew 27:11–31; see Luke 23:6–12).

These hearings form two main trials, a Jewish trial and a Roman trial.

Events

Parallels

Mark 14:53–65 Luke 22:66–71 John 18:19–24

People

Jesus: The Son of God and Savior of the world

Glossary

Bloody Sweat Caiaphas Gospel of Matthew Passion Scribe

Topics

Church: Corruption In Court: Civil: Composition of, and Mode of Procedure Court: Corrupt Courts of Justice: Sanhedrim or Court of the Seventy: Consisted of Chief Priest False Accusation: Incidents Illustrative of Against Jesus False Teachers: Against Jesus Government: Constitutes Jesus, the Christ: Meekness of Jesus, the Christ: Tried by the Council (In Jerusalem) Judge: Priests and Levites As Perjury: Jesus Persecution of Jesus Prayer: The Prayer of Jesus, |Let This Cup Pass Away| Priest: Miscellaneous Facts Concerning: Put on Trial and Condemn Jesus Prisoners: Jesus Rulers: Wicked: The Chief Priests, Elders, and the Sanhedrin, Seeking False Witness Against Jesus Slander: Witnesses Against Christ The High Priest: Duties of Presiding in the Superior Court