1. While Peter was out in the courtyard warming himself, a young woman, a servant of the Chief Priest, came to him, looked at him intently and said, "You are a follower of Jesus." But Peter denied before all those present, saying, "I do not know who you mean."
2. When he left the courtyard, another woman saw him and shouted, "This one follows Jesus!" But Peter swore, "I do not know who you are talking about."
3. Then a little later a bystander came up to Peter and said, "Your from the same place as Jesus, surely you are one of His followers." But Peter began cursing and swore again, "I never knew the man, ever!"
4. And immediately, a rooster crowed in the distance, for the dawn was coming.
5. Peter then remembered the words Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows you will deny Me three times." And Peter began to grieve and sob bitterly, then he ran away and hid himself.
6. When the morning came, Judas, who had betrayed Christ to the religious leaders, saw that they intended to kill Jesus.
7. For this reason, he felt tremendous remorse and returned the betrayal money to the Chief Priest and religious leaders.
8. And Judas said to them, "I have betrayed an innocent man." But they said to him, "What do we care if you have sinned?"
9. Then Judas threw the silver coins into the Holy Temple and ran into the wilderness. There he took a rope and hung himself from a tree.
10. The Chief Priest took the silver and said, "We cannot put this money back into the treasury for it has been used as blood money."
11. So they took counsel, and bought with it the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood.
12. Later, the religious leaders and Chief Priest took Jesus to the Roman governor Pilate and delivered Him to Pilate on the grounds that He was to overthrow the government.
13. And they said to Pilate, "We found this man misleading our nation and insisting that we not pay taxes to the government, and He calls Himself, Christ--the only begotten Son of God--and He claims to be the only king!"
14. Pilate questioned Him saying, "Are You a king?"
15. And Jesus said, "Are you asking this, because you have believed that I may be, or have others told you about Me?"
16. Pilate said, "I am not one of Jews, am I? Your own people have delivered You to me."
17. Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would have fought to prevent My capture."
18. Pilate said, "Then You are a king?
19. And Jesus replied, "You are correct in saying that I am a king, for this purpose I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world--to testify to the truth.
20. "Everyone who is born of the truth hears My voice."
21. Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"
22. Then the religious leaders protested loudly, charging Jesus with many other crimes.
23. And Pilate questioned Him, saying, "Do you not answer? Do you not see how much they are charging You with?" But Jesus gave no further response, and Pilate was amazed.
24. Pilate then said to the Chief Priest, "Take Him to King Herod to be tried, for this is his jurisdiction, and so they took Him to Herod.
25. But Herod, when he saw Jesus was very glad. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, and hoped that Jesus would perform some sign for him.
26. And Herod questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus said nothing, so Herod's guards beat Him and mocked Him, and then Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate for a trial.
27. From that day forward, following the condemnation of Jesus, Herod and Pilate became friends whereas before they had been enemies.
28. When Pilate saw Him, he said to the religious leaders, "I have examined this man, and I find no guilt in Him. Nor has Herod, for he has sent Him back to me, and behold, He has done nothing to deserve death.
29. "Therefore, I will only punish this man and release Him." For Pilate knew that the priests merely envied Jesus.
30. But the Pharisees and Chief Priest protested vehemently and shouted, "Crucify Him!"
31. At that time, Pilate was holding another prisoner who was guilty of insurrection, robbery and murder named, Barabbas. And in that season, it was the custom to release one prisoner based on the people's choice.
32. And while Pilate was sitting on the throne of judgment, he decided to let the people in general determine whom they wanted more, Jesus or Barabbas.
33. But the religious leaders had already incited the people to shout for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
34. Then Pilate stepped out onto a balcony and asked the crowds below, "Who shall I release, Jesus or Barabbas?
35. And they all shouted for Barabbas. Pilate said, "Then what shall I do with Jesus?"
36. And they all shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
37. Pilate said to them, "But what evil has He done?" Yet the crowd only shouted louder.
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