Section 22:66–71

The Jewish leaders questioned Jesus

In this section Luke told about Jesus’ trial before the Jewish leaders. This trial is also described in Matthew 26:57–68 and John 18:12–15, 18:19–24. Some other examples of headings for this section are:

Jesus is tried/questioned by the Jewish council
-or-
Jesus before the Council (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus’ trial before the leaders of the Jews

Paragraph 22:66–69

22:66a–b

At daybreak: The phrase At daybreak refers to dawn when daylight came. A Jewish council could only make legal decisions during the daytime. So they waited until after sunrise to have this meeting. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

At dawn
-or-
When the sun rose

the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and scribes, met together: Scholars differ about whether the meeting at dawn included two groups or three groups:

(1) The meeting included two groups: the chief priests and the scribes. These two groups together were described as the council of the elders. Here is another way to translate this:

all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, New Century Version, English Standard Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) The meeting included three groups: the elders of the people, the chief priests, and the scribes. Here is another way to translate this:

the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law met together (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, King James Version, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation is supported by the construction of the Greek sentence. It is true that the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin, included more than two groups. However, here Luke mentioned just two of the groups and referred to the Sanhedrin itself as the council of the elders.

Another way to translate this interpretation is:

the council of the elders of the people gathered together. These elders were the leading priests and the experts in the law.

the council of the elders of the people: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as council of the elders refers to the assembly of the main leaders of the people. Here the phrase of the people refers to the Jewish people/nation. At the council the groups that led the Jewish people met and made decisions. Some other ways to translate the council of the elders of the people are:

the nation’s leaders (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the assembly of the elders of the people (New Revised Standard Version)

chief priests and scribes: For translation suggestions, see the notes at 19:47b–d. See also priest and scribe in the Glossary for more information. These terms also occurred in 22:2a. See how you translated them there.

met together: The phrase met together indicates that the council gathered for a specific purpose. In this context they gathered to make a judgment about Jesus. Other ways to translate the phrase are:

assembled (Revised English Bible)
-or-
gathered together (NET Bible)

22:66c

They led Jesus into their Sanhedrin: Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a passive clause. For example:

Jesus was led before them (New International Version)

• Use a causative. For example:

They caused Jesus to be led into their meeting

• Use an active clause and supply a subject, as the Berean Standard Bible does. If you need to be more specific, you may refer to men who guarded Jesus. For example:

they brought Jesus before them
-or-

⌊the guards⌋ led Jesus before them

into their Sanhedrin: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as into their Sanhedrin is literally “into their council.” The context implies that he was brought there for trial. Some English versions use the word “before” to imply this. For example:

before them (New International Version)

If there is a special idiom to imply this in your language, you may be able to use it here. Other ways to translate this are:

to their meeting
-or-
into their gathering

and said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and said is literally “saying.” In the Greek text, these words are at the beginning of 22:67a, but the Berean Standard Bible places them here. Place them where it is natural in your language. If you translate the council’s demand as a question, you may want to use a verb like “asked.” Translate in a natural way in your language.

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