Devine Scripture

Matthew 26:66

What does Matthew 26:66 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 26:66 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 26:66 means

They ask what the council thinks, and the assembly declares Jesus worthy of death. The collective verdict confirms the high priest’s conclusion and formalizes the sentence from religious authorities. The unanimous vocalization underscores the unity of purpose among the leaders despite earlier difficulty in finding witnesses. The verdict places moral responsibility squarely on the council, who now move the process toward handing Jesus over to civil authority for execution, even though their conviction is based on misrepresentation and prejudice.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

What is your opinion? They made answer and said, It is right for him to be put to death.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

what think ye?' and they answering said, `He is worthy of death.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of death.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

What think ye? And they answering said, He is liable to the penalty of death.

Context

This verse follows the high priest’s outcry and records the council’s judgment. It marks the legal culmination of the illegal trial and leads to the abuse and mocking that follow. For readers, it makes plain the collective condemnation of Jesus by religious authorities and sets the stage for his physical mistreatment and Peter’s denials.

v.65Then the high priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy:

v.66This passage

v.67Then did they spit in his face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands,

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Acts 7:52

    Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;

  • Acts 13:27

    For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

  • Leviticus 24:11

    and the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses. And his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.

  • James 5:6

    Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.

  • John 19:7

    The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

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