The crowd led Jesus to the high priest, where the chief priests, elders, and teachers of the law assembled. Peter followed at a distance and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. He sat with the guards and warmed himself by the fire.
The chief priests and the entire council looked for testimony that would justify putting Jesus to death. Many people gave false testimony, but their accounts did not agree. Some claimed that they had heard Jesus say he would destroy the temple made by human hands and build another not made by hands in three days. Even these witnesses did not agree with one another.
The high priest stood in the center and asked whether Jesus had any answer to the charges. Jesus remained silent and gave no reply. The high priest questioned him again, asking whether he was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One.
Jesus answered that he was. He said they would see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven. The high priest tore his clothes and declared that no further witnesses were needed. They had heard what he called blasphemy for themselves.
Asked for their judgment, the council condemned Jesus as deserving death. Some began to spit on him. They covered his face, struck him with their fists, and demanded that he prophesy who had hit him. The guards took him and beat him with their hands.
Meanwhile Peter remained below in the courtyard. One of the high priest’s servant girls came near and looked closely at him as he warmed himself. She said that he too had been with Jesus of Nazareth. Peter denied it, claiming not to know or understand what she meant, and moved toward the entrance. A rooster crowed.
The servant girl saw him again and told the bystanders that he was one of Jesus’ followers. Peter denied it once more. A little later the people nearby insisted that he must belong with them because he was a Galilean.
Peter began to call down a curse on himself and swore that he did not know the man they meant. At that moment the rooster crowed a second time. Peter remembered Jesus’ words that before the rooster crowed twice, he would deny him three times. Peter broke down and wept.