And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.
- BSB Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any.
- 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 elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
- 1 Pet 3:16–18Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
- Matt 5:22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
- Acts 24:1–13And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
- Ps 35:11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
- Acts 6:11–13Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
- Ps 27:12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
- Dan 6:4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
- 1 Kgs 21:13And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
- 1 Kgs 21:10And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
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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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