54. Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55. Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any.
56. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other.
57. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony:
58. “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’”
59. But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!
60. Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?”
61. But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”