Common English Bible

Matthew 26:52-60 Common English Bible (CEB)

52. Then Jesus said to him, "Put the sword back into its place. All those who use the sword will die by the sword.

53. Or do you think that I’m not able to ask my Father and he will send to me more than twelve battle groups of angels right away?

54. But if I did that, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that say this must happen?"

55. Then Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me, like a thief? Day after day, I sat in the temple teaching, but you didn’t arrest me.

56. But all this has happened so that what the prophets said in the scriptures might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left Jesus and ran away.

57. Those who arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest. The legal experts and the elders had gathered there.

58. Peter followed him from a distance until he came to the high priest’s courtyard. He entered that area and sat outside with the officers to see how it would turn out.

59. The chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.

60. They didn’t find anything they could use from the many false witnesses who were willing to come forward. But finally they found two