Now the guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him; then they hit him and asked, "Who hit you that time, you prophet?" And they threw all sorts of terrible insults at him.
At daybreak all the leaders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council, and they said, "Tell us if you are the Messiah."
But he replied, "If I tell you, you won't believe me. And if I ask you a question, you won't answer. But the time is soon coming when I, the Son of Man, will be sitting at God's right hand in the place of power."
They all shouted, "Then you claim you are the Son of God?"
And he replied, "You are right in saying that I am."
"What need do we have for other witnesses?" they shouted. "We ourselves heard him say it."
When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders. "I have sinned," he declared, "for I have betrayed an innocent man."
"What do we care?" they retorted. "That's your problem." Then Judas threw the money onto the floor of the Temple and went out and hanged himself.