Wednesday, February 16

21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

22And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

23And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

24Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

3and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

5They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

43And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, 'Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.'

45As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, 'Rabbi, Rabbi!' and kissed Him.

46Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.

47And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?

49I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.'

50Then they all forsook Him and fled.

51Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him,

52and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

53And they led Jesus away to the high priest; and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes.

54But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

55Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.

56For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

57Then some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying,

58'We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' '

59But not even then did their testimony agree.

60And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, 'Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?'

61But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, 'Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?'

62Jesus said, 'I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'

63Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, 'What further need do we have of witnesses?

64You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?' And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

65Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, and to say to Him, 'Prophesy!' And the officers struck Him with the palms of their hands.

66Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.

67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, 'You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.'

68But he denied it, saying, 'I neither know nor understand what you are saying.' And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

69And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, 'This is one of them.'

70But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, 'Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.'

71Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this Man of whom you speak!'

72A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.' And when he thought about it, he wept.

1Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.