Mark 14:55 kjv
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
Mark 14:55 nkjv
Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none.
Mark 14:55 niv
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
Mark 14:55 esv
Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none.
Mark 14:55 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.
Mark 14 55 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| False Accusation/Perversion of Justice | ||
| Ps 35:11 | False witnesses rise up against me; they accuse me of things I do not know. | False witnesses against the innocent. |
| Deut 19:15 | One witness is not enough to convict anyone... must be confirmed by two or three witnesses. | Legal requirement for multiple witnesses. |
| 1 Kgs 21:10, 13 | Set two scoundrels before him to testify against him that he has cursed God and king... | Example of false witnesses securing a death. |
| Mt 26:59-60 | The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any. | Matthew's parallel account, same lack of proof. |
| Acts 6:11-13 | Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” Then they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses... | Stephen, like Jesus, faced false accusations. |
| Ex 23:7 | Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or righteous person to death. | Divine command against condemning the innocent. |
| Lev 19:16 | Do not go about spreading slander among your people. | Against slander and false testimony. |
| Prov 19:5 | A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not escape. | Consequence for giving false testimony. |
| Premeditated Malice/Plotting to Kill | ||
| Jn 7:1 | After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. | Jewish leaders plotting Jesus' death. |
| Jn 11:47-53 | Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we going to do?” they asked... From that day on, they plotted to take his life. | Sanhedrin's decision to kill Jesus. |
| Mk 3:6 | Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. | Early plots to destroy Jesus. |
| Lk 19:47 | Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. | Religious leaders constantly seeking to destroy Him. |
| Jer 11:19 | I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me. | Prophetic echo of the innocent plotted against. |
| Ps 7:15 | Whoever dig a hole and digs it deep falls into the pit they have made. | Malice turning back on the wicked. |
| Ps 94:20-21 | Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—a throne that devises evil by statute? They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. | Unjust rulers conspiring against the innocent. |
| Jesus' Innocence | ||
| Isa 53:9 | He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. | Prophetic affirmation of Jesus' sinlessness. |
| Lk 23:4, 14, 22 | Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” | Pilate repeatedly declares Jesus innocent. |
| 1 Pet 2:22 | He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. | Peter affirming Jesus' sinlessness. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin. | Jesus' complete sinlessness. |
| Jn 19:4 | Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” | Pilate finding no fault in Jesus. |
| Sanhedrin's Context/Authority | ||
| Jn 18:31 | “But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. | Their lack of full capital authority under Rome. |
| Mk 15:1 | Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. | Formal council decision the next morning. |
Mark 14 verses
Mark 14 55 Meaning
Mark 14:55 details the Sanhedrin's official attempt to condemn Jesus to death. Despite their predetermined desire and intense effort, they failed to find credible (or even consistently false) legal testimony against Him, exposing the utter injustice and illegitimacy of their proceedings. Their goal was clear: to kill Jesus, but they could not establish a valid charge under their own law.
Mark 14 55 Context
Mark 14 opens with the chief priests and scribes seeking a cunning way to arrest and kill Jesus. The plot quickly progresses through Judas's betrayal, the Last Supper, and Jesus' agonizing prayer in Gethsemane. Verse 55 is part of Jesus' initial trial before the Sanhedrin after His arrest. Following His betrayal and capture, Jesus is led to the High Priest's palace. This verse sets the stage for a judicial process that is anything but just. Historically, the Sanhedrin was the highest Jewish judicial body, traditionally bound by strict laws concerning witness testimony, requiring at least two consistent witnesses for a capital offense. This night trial, however, was likely irregular and rushed, seeking a quick conviction before the Passover festival crowds could react. The underlying motivation was rooted in the religious leaders' fear of Jesus' growing influence, perceived challenge to their authority, and reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law, which they saw as subversive to their established order.
Mark 14 55 Word analysis
- Now the chief priests (οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς - hoi de archiereis): Refers to the powerful and influential heads of the priestly families, predominantly Sadducees, who held significant religious and political power and were keen to maintain the status quo.
- and the whole Sanhedrin (καὶ ὅλον τὸ συνέδριον - kai holon to synedrion): Signifies the supreme Jewish legal council, comprising 71 members including chief priests, elders (lay nobility), and scribes (experts in the Law). The inclusion of "whole" emphasizes the collective and official nature of this hostile gathering, though it's likely not every member was present, nor were proceedings fully legal according to their own rules (e.g., meeting at night).
- were seeking (ἐζήτουν - ezētoun): Imperfect tense of zēteō, indicating continuous, repeated, or earnest seeking. It conveys a sustained effort on their part, reflecting their desperation and predetermined agenda to find something, anything, against Jesus.
- testimony (μαρτυρίαν - martyrian): A legal term for evidence or witness. In this context, it refers specifically to witness testimony required for conviction, especially in a capital case. They sought accusations, regardless of their truthfulness.
- against Jesus (κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ - kata tou Iēsou): Kata denotes opposition or hostility. This shows their bias; they were not impartial judges but active adversaries. Their pursuit was not for justice but for condemnation.
- to put him to death (εἰς τὸ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν - eis to thanatōsai auton): This phrase clarifies their ultimate objective from the outset. It reveals the pre-judgement of the court. The "trial" was a mere formality to achieve an already decided execution.
- but they found none (καὶ οὐχ εὕρισκον - kai ouch heuriskon): Imperfect tense, mirroring "were seeking." It means "they kept not finding" or "they were unable to find." This highlights the complete failure of their extensive efforts. Despite their relentless pursuit, Jesus’ life and ministry contained no genuine basis for their charges, thus validating His innocence from an earthly legal perspective.
- Chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony: This grouping underscores the institutional power and judicial authority mobilized against Jesus, yet operating with a deeply corrupt intent. The highest court was compromised from the start.
- Seeking testimony… to put him to death: This juxtaposition is critical. They were not seeking truth or justice, but evidence that would justify their predetermined sentence of death. This demonstrates a complete perversion of the judicial process.
- But they found none: This concise statement powerfully emphasizes Jesus's blamelessness and the moral bankruptcy of His accusers. Even with all their power, influence, and motivation, they could not produce coherent, legally sufficient, or believable evidence against Him.
Mark 14 55 Bonus section
The inability of the Sanhedrin to find compelling testimony points to Jesus's impeccable conduct throughout His public ministry. Every word and deed of Jesus was openly done and could not be twisted into a capital offense, even by those determined to do so. This contrasts sharply with common patterns of false witnesses, who often contradict one another or reveal inconsistencies. The text implicitly emphasizes that Jesus's life provided no legitimate grounds for their charges, reinforcing the biblical theme of the righteous suffering for the unrighteous, a prefiguring of His substitutionary atonement. This detail is not merely a historical note but a theological declaration of Jesus's purity and sinlessness.
Mark 14 55 Commentary
Mark 14:55 profoundly exposes the corrupt nature of Jesus's trial before the Sanhedrin. Far from an impartial legal inquiry, it was a staged spectacle with a preordained verdict: Jesus's death. The religious leaders, driven by malice and fear of losing their power and authority to Jesus's divine claims, actively sought false testimony to achieve their goal. Their failure to find any consistent or legally sufficient witness, even false ones, underscores the absolute injustice of the proceedings and ironically testifies to Jesus's pristine innocence. This inability to establish a charge highlights that Jesus, the Lamb without blemish, was indeed innocent, suffering unjustly. The verse sets a stark contrast between divine righteousness embodied in Jesus and human depravity reflected in His accusers, all under the sovereign plan of God.