Matthew 26 · Verse 59

Matthew 26:59

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Matthew 26:59, King James Version

Matthew 26:59 in other translations

BSBNow the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
WEBNow the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death,
ASVNow the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death;
YLTAnd the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, were seeking false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death,
DARBYAnd the chief priests and the elders and the whole sanhedrim sought false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death.
BBENow the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus, so that they might put him to death;
WebsterNow the chief priests and elders, and all the council, sought false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death;

What does Matthew 26:59 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 59. Mt 26:57

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 59 All the council sought false witness - What a prostitution of justice! - they first resolve to ruin him, and then seek the proper means of effecting it: they declare him criminal, and after that do all they can to fix some crime upon him, that they may appear to have some shadow of justice on their side when they put him to death. It seems to have been a common custom of this vile court to employ false witness, on any occasion, to answer their own ends. See this exemplified in the case of Stephen, Act 6:11-13.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus was hurried into Jerusalem. It looks ill, and bodes worse, when those who are willing to be Christ's disciples, are not willing to be known to be so. Here began Peter's denying him: for to follow Christ afar off, is to begin to go back from him. It is more our concern to prepare for the end, whatever it may be, than curiously to ask what the end will be. The event is God's, but the duty is ours. Now the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 26:57-68 →

Matthew 26:59 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΟἱHoi<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἀρχιερεῖςarchiereisthe chief priestsG749
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoi<the>G3588
πρεσβύτεροιpresbuteroieldersG4245
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
συνέδριονsunedrionCouncilG4892
ὅλονholonwholeG3650
ἐζήτουνezētounwere seekingG2212
ψευδομαρτυρίανpseudomarturianfalse testimonyG5577
κατὰkataagainstG2596
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ἸησοῦIēsouJesusG2424
ὅπωςhopōsso thatG3704
αὐτὸνautonhimG846
θανατώσωσιν,thanatōsōsinthey may put to deathG2289

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 26:59

  • Deuteronomy 19:16-21

    If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. …

  • Mark 14:55-56

    And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

  • Acts 6:11-13

    Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

  • 1 Kings 21:8-13

    So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And 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. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. …

  • Proverbs 25:18

    A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

  • Psalms 27:12

    Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

  • Matthew 5:22

    But 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 24:1-13

    And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. …

  • Psalms 35:11-12

    False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

  • Psalms 94:20-21

    Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sought.
De 19:16-21; 1Ki 21:8-13; Ps 27:12; 35:11,12; 94:20,21; Pr 25:18
Mr 14:55,56; Ac 6:11-13; 24:1-13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 26:58

    But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

  • Matthew 26:59

    Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

  • Matthew 26:60

    But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

Read all of Matthew 26

Matthew 26:59 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y los ancianos, y todo el consejo, buscaban falso testimonio contra Jesús, para entregarle á la muerte;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or les principaux sacrificateurs et les anciens et tout le sanhédrin cherchaient quelque faux témoignage contre Jésus, de manière à le faire mourir;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Hohenpriester aber und die Ältesten und das ganze Synedrium suchten falsches Zeugnis wider Jesum, damit sie ihn zum Tode brächten;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Principes autem sacerdotum, et omne concilium, quærebant falsum testimonium contra Jesum, ut eum morti traderent: