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And straightway in the
morning, 16 as soon as it was day, all the chief priests and scribes and
ancients of the people, and the whole council, came together that they might put
Him to death. And
they brought Him into their council, saying: "If Thou be the Christ, tell us."
And He saith to them:
"If I shall tell you, you will not believe Me. And if I shall also ask you,
you will not answer Me, nor let Me go. But hereafter the Son of Man shall be
sitting on the right
hand of the power of God." Then said they all." Art Thou then the Son of
God?" Who said, "You say that I am." And they said: "What need
we any further testimony? For we ourselves have heard it from His own mouth."
Matthew 26:57, 59-68; Matthew 27:1;
Mark 14:53, 55-65; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:63-71
Jesus' Interior Prayer
and Lamentation
O God, the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened
against Me. They have
spoken against Me with deceitful tongues, and they have compassed Me about with
words of hatred.
They have fought against Me without cause. Instead of making Me a return of
love, they detracted
Me. But I gave myself to prayer, and they repaid Me evil for good, and hatred
for My love.
Deliver Me,
O Lord,
from evil men; rescue Me from the unjust men who have devised iniquities in
their hearts. All the day long they designed battles. They have sharpened their
tongues like a
serpent; the venom of asps is under their lips. Unjust witnesses have risen up
against Me, and
iniquity hath lied to itself The proud have hidden a net for Me, and they have
stretched out cords
for a snare. They have laid for Me a stumblingblock by the wayside.
My days are vanished
like smoke, and My bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire. I am smitten as
grass, and My heart is withered. All the day long My enemies reproached Me, and
did swear against
16 Editor's note regarding Our Lord 's second trial: As many commentators
have pointed out, the
Mosaic Law forbade that trials should be held during the night. It was necessary
for any semblance
of legality in the court's proceedings that the council reconvene in the morning
for a formal
sanctioning of the previous night's sentence.
night's sentence.