As he said this, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived with a large mob armed with swords and clubs sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The one that I kiss, that's him—arrest him,” he'd told them.
Judas came up to Jesus immediately, and said, “Hello, Rabbi,” and kissed him.
“My friend, do what you came to do,” Jesus said to Judas. So they came and grabbed hold of Jesus, and arrested him.
One of those who was with Jesus reached for his sword and pulled it out. He struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. But Jesus told him, “Put your sword away. Everyone who fights with the sword will die by the sword. Don't you think I could ask my Father, and he'd immediately send more than twelve legions of angels? But then how could the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must be like this?”
Then Jesus told the mob, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I was some kind of dangerous criminal? Every day I sat in the Temple teaching and you didn't arrest me then. But all this is happening to fulfill what the prophets wrote.” Then all the disciples abandoned him and ran away.
Those who'd arrested Jesus took him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the religious teachers and elders had gathered. Peter followed him at a distance, and went into the high priest's courtyard. He sat there with the guards to see how things would end.
The chief priests and the whole council were trying to find some false evidence against Jesus so they could put him to death. But they couldn't find anything, even though many false witnesses came forward. Eventually two came forward and reported, “This man said, ‘I can destroy God's Temple, and rebuild it in three days.’”
The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What do you have to say in your defense?” But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to Jesus, “In the name of the living God I place you under oath. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
“You said it,” Jesus replied. “And I also tell you that in the future you'll see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes, and said, “He's speaking blasphemy! Why do we need any witnesses? Look, now you've heard for yourselves his blasphemy! What's your verdict?”
“Guilty! He deserves to die!” they answered. Then they spat in his face and beat him. Some of them slapped him with their hands, and said, “Prophesy to us, you ‘Messiah’! Who just hit you?”
Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came up to him, and said, “You, you were with Jesus the Galilean!” But he denied it in front of everyone. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he said.
When he went back to the courtyard entrance another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Once again he denied it, saying with an oath, “I don't know him.” A little while later the people standing there came up to Peter and said, “You definitely are one of them. Your accent gives you away.” Then he started to swear: “Curses on me if I'm a liar! I don't know the man!” Immediately the cock crowed.
Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the cock crows, three times you will deny knowing me.” He went outside and wept bitterly.
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