The Life of Jesus

The third time, he came and said to them, "For now, go on sleeping, take your rest. . . .There, that's enough! The time has come! Look! The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners!

Get up! Let's go! Here comes my betrayer!"

While Yeshua was still speaking, Y'hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim, the Torah-teachers and the elders.

The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: "The man I kiss is the one you want. Grab him, and take him away under guard."

As he ar ived, he went right up to Yeshua, said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.

Then they laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him;

but one of the people standing nearby drew his sword and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear.

Yeshua addressed them: "So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion?

Every day I was with you in the Temple court, teaching, and you didn't seize me then! But let the Tanakh be fulfilled."

And they all deserted him and ran away.

There was one young man who did try to follow him; but he was wearing only a nightshirt; and when they tried to seize him,

he slipped out of the nightshirt and ran away naked.

They led Yeshua to the cohen hagadol, with whom all the head cohanim, elders and Torah-teachers were assembling.

Kefa followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the cohen hagadol, where he sat down with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.

The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin tried to find evidence against Yeshua, so that they might have him put to death, but they couldn't find any.

For many people gave false evidence against him, but their testimonies didn't agree.

Some stood up and gave this false testimony:

"We heard him say, `I will destroy this Temple made with hands; and in three days I will build another one, not made with hands.'"

Even so, their testimonies didn't agree.

The cohen hagadol stood up in the front and asked Yeshua, "Have you nothing to say to the accusations these men are making?"

But he remained silent and made no reply. Again the cohen hagadol questioned him: "Are you the Mashiach, Ben-HaM'vorakh?"

"I AM," answered Yeshua. "Moreover, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG'vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven."

At this, the cohen hagadol tore his clothes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses?

You heard him blaspheme! What is your decision?" And they all declared him guilty and subject to the death penalty.

Then some began spitting at him; and after blindfolding him, they started pounding him with their fists and saying to him, "Let's see you prophesy!" And as the guards took him, they beat him too.