Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.
- KJV And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
- NKJV Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
- NASB Now the chief priests and the entire Council were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any.
- NLT 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The council seeks testimony to put Jesus to death but finds none. Their predetermined verdict exposes the trial as a sham.
Overview
The leaders are not seeking truth but evidence to justify a conviction already decided. Their inability to find valid testimony testifies to Jesus' innocence. The injustice of the proceedings fulfills the pattern of the righteous sufferer condemned without cause.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 26:59–60Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
- 1 Pet 3:16–18keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
- Matt 5:22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
- Acts 24:1–13Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.
- Ps 35:11Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
- Acts 6:11–13Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
- Ps 27:12Do not hand me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
- Dan 6:4Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
- 1 Kgs 21:13And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
- 1 Kgs 21:10But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 14:55 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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