51 Bible Verses about Chief priests

So, he gathered all the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses from among the people and asked them where the Christ [child] was to be born.

But when the leading priests and the experts in the law of Moses saw the wonderful things [i.e., miracles] He was performing and [heard] the children shouting in the Temple, "Hosanna to the son of David," [See note at verse 9], they were filled with anger [i.e., over the acclaim being given to Jesus].

From that time onward Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He would have to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the [Jewish] elders, leading priests, and experts in the law of Moses; [that He would then] be killed and [yet] raised up on the third day.

Jesus then began teaching them that the Son of man must suffer very much, be rejected by the [Jewish] elders, leading priests, and experts in the law of Moses and be killed, but rise again [from the dead] after three days.

saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the [Jewish] elders, leading priests and experts in the law of Moses. Then He will be killed and [yet] be raised up on the third day."

"Now look, we are going up to Jerusalem and [while there] the Son of man will be turned over to the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses. They will condemn Him to death,

He said, "Look, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of man will be turned over to the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses. They will condemn Him to death and turn Him over to the [unconverted] Gentiles.

When He had come into the Temple, the leading priests and elders of the [Jewish] people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things [i.e., miracles and teaching]? And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus and His disciples again came to Jerusalem. As He was walking in the Temple [area] the leading priests, experts in the law of Moses and [Jewish] elders came to Him and said, "By what authority are you doing these things [i.e., miracles and teaching]? Or who gave you the authority to do these things?"

And it happened on one of the days that Jesus was teaching people in the Temple and preaching the good news, that the leading priests and the experts in the law of Moses, [along] with the [Jewish] elders, came to Him. They said to Him, "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things [i.e., miracles and teaching]? Or, who is the one who gave you this authority?"

And when the leading priests and Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they realized He was speaking about them. When they attempted to arrest Him, [they hesitated because] they feared [what] the crowds [might do], since they considered Jesus a prophet.

Then the experts in the law of Moses and the leading priests attempted to arrest Jesus right away, [but hesitated] because they feared [what] the people [might do], since they perceived that He had spoken this parable against them.

The Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion] heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, so the leading priests and Pharisees sent some Temple guards to arrest Him.

So, the leading priests and the Pharisees assembled the Council [Note: This was the Jewish governing body called "the Sanhedrin"] and said, "What should we do, for this man is performing many [miraculous] signs?

Then the leading priests and elders of the [Jewish] people were gathered in the courtroom of the head priest, named Caiaphas. They were taking counsel together as to how they might take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they reasoned, "We will not do it during the Festival because it might start a riot among the people."

Now the Passover Festival and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were held two days later. [Note: This was the annual Jewish Festival week commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses' leadership. The unleavened bread was specially baked bread containing no yeast, which was eaten for seven days as part of the celebration]. And the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses were looking for a way to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.

Now the leading priests and the entire Council [called "the Sanhedrin"] looked for false witnesses [to testify] against Jesus, in order to put Him to death.

Now the leading priests and the entire Council [called the "Sanhedrin"] were looking for [false] witnesses to testify against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but did not find any.

Now when morning came, all the leading priests and the elders of the [Jewish] people conferred together against Jesus as to how they might put Him to death.

Then one of the twelve apostles, named Judas Iscariot, went to the leading priests

Now Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve apostles, left and went to the leading priests in order to make arrangements for turning Jesus over to them.

So, he left [probably the house of Simon, the man healed of an infectious skin disease. See Matt. 26:6-13] and went and discussed with the leading priests and captains [i.e., of the Temple guard] how he could turn Jesus over to them.

And while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, came with a large crowd who were carrying swords and clubs. They had come from the leading priests and elders of the [Jewish] people.

And immediately, as Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles came with a crowd who were carrying swords and clubs. [They had come] from the leading priests, the experts in the law of Moses and the [Jewish] elders.

And Jesus said to the leading priests and captains of the Temple [guard] and the [Jewish] elders that came to take Him, "Have you come out [to arrest me] with swords and clubs as you would [apprehend] a thief?

So, Judas took a detachment of [Roman] soldiers and some [Temple] guards sent from the leading priests and Pharisees, and carrying lanterns, torches and weapons, they went to the orchard.

Then Judas, who had betrayed Him [to the Jewish leaders], when he saw that Jesus had been condemned to die, changed his mind [i.e., about betraying Him] and brought back the thirty silver coins [Note: See Matt. 26:15 for the amount of money involved] to the leading priests and [Jewish] elders, saying, "I have sinned by delivering up an innocent man to die." But they replied, "What is that to us? It is your affair!" And he threw down the thirty silver coins in the Sanctuary [i.e., probably the outer area of the Temple], then left and went out and hanged himself.read more.
The leading priests took the silver coins and said, "It is not permissible by the law of Moses to put this money in the Temple treasury, since it is the price [paid] for [taking] a life.

When He was accused by the leading priests and the [Jewish] elders, He made no reply.

[Then] the leading priests accused Him of many things.

And when it became daylight, the body of [Jewish] elders of the people, [consisting of] both leading priests and experts in the law of Moses, was gathered together. Then they led Jesus away to their Council [called the "Sanhedrin"], and asked Him,

Then the leading priests and experts in the law of Moses stood up and viciously charged Him [i.e., with false accusations].

Now the leading priests and [Jewish] elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas [to be released] and for Jesus to be killed.

Then Pilate said to the leading priests and to the crowds [that had gathered], "I do not find anything wrong with this man."

Then, when the leading priests and the [Temple] guards saw Him, they shouted out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate responded by saying, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, because I do not find him guilty of any crime."

In the same way the leading priests, experts in the law of Moses and [Jewish] elders also mocked Him, saying,

In the same way, the leading priests also mocked Him among themselves, along with the experts in the law of Moses, saying, "He saved other people, now he cannot even save himself.

For he perceived that the leading priests had turned Jesus over to him out of envy.

And the leading priests and our leaders turned him over to be sentenced to death and had him crucified.

Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own people and the leading priests turned you over to me. What have you done?"

Now on the following day, which was the day after the Preparation [for the Passover Festival], the leading priests and Pharisees assembled in front of Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: 'I will rise [from the dead] after three days.' Therefore, give the order to secure the grave site until the third day, so his disciples will not steal his body and then tell the people 'He has risen from the dead.' This last deception would be worse than the first one [i.e., the claim that Jesus rose from the dead would be worse than the claim that he was the Messiah]."read more.
Pilate said to them, "Take [a group of] guards [with you]; go and make the grave site as secure as you can." So, they went and secured the grave site, placing a [wax] seal on the stone, while the guards watched.

Now while these women were on their way, some of the guards entered the city and began telling the leading priests everything that had happened. And when they had assembled with the [Jewish] elders and conferred with them, they offered large sums of money to the soldiers, saying, "We want you to say, 'Jesus' disciples came at night and stole his body while we were asleep.'read more.
And if the governor hears about this [plot], we will persuade him [i.e., not to punish you for negligence], so you will not have to worry about that." So, they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story [i.e., that Jesus' body had been stolen by His disciples] was told widely among the Jews, and continues to be told to this day.

Then they shouted out, "Take him away; take him away and crucify him!" Pilate replied to them, "Do you want me to crucify your king?" The leading priests answered, "We do not have any [other] king, except Caesar."

So, after Peter and John were released, they went [back to the other disciples] and reported everything the leading priests and elders [of the Jews] had said to them.

Now when the captain of the Temple [guard] and the leading priests heard about this, they became frustrated over how far this [teaching] would [eventually] spread.

And [now] he is here with authority from the leading priests to tie up [and imprison] everyone who calls on your name."

So, I was doing this in Jerusalem, having received [my] authority from the leading priests. I both imprisoned many of the saints [i.e., God's holy people] and [even] voiced my approval when they were put to death [See 8:1].

But the next day the commander released Paul [from the chains] because he wanted to know what specific charges the Jews has against him. So, he ordered the leading priests and the entire [Jewish] Council to assemble, then brought Paul down and placed him in front of them.

They went to the leading priests and [Jewish] elders and told them, "We have bound ourselves under an oath [with serious consequences] to eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

The leading priests and the leading Jewish men [there] informed Festus of the charges against Paul. Then they begged him