And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death, and found none.

And the chief priests and the whole sanhedrim sought testimony against Jesus to cause him to be put to death, and did not find any.

And the chief priests, and all the council sought for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

And the chief priests and all the sanhedrim were seeking against Jesus testimony, to put him to death, and they were not finding,

Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but could find none;

Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for witness against Jesus so that they might put him to death; and they were unable to get any.

Yet truly, the leaders of the priests and the entire council sought testimony against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death, and they found none.

Meanwhile the chief priest and the whole of the High Council were trying to get such evidence against Jesus as would warrant his being put to death, but they could not find any;

(14) And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
(14) Christ, who was so innocent that he could not be oppressed, not even by false witnesses, is at length condemned for impiety before the high priest for confessing God to be his father. This is so that we, who denied God and were indeed wicked, might be acquitted before God.

And the chief priests, and all the council,.... Especially the former, who were of all most busy and active in this matter:
sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; on which they were determined, right or wrong; in this they went contrary to one of their own canons, which runs thus (k):
"in pecuniary causes, they begin either for absolution, or condemnation; but in capital causes, they begin for absolution, and do not begin for condemnation.''
That is, they begun with such evidences as tended to acquit a man, and not with such as served to condemn him; whereas this court was only seeking for such evidence to begin with, that they might condemn Jesus to death:
and found none; that would answer their purpose; See Gill on Matthew 26:59.
(k) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 4. sect. 1.

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death--Matthew (Matthew 26:59) says they "sought false witness." They knew they could find nothing valid; but having their Prisoner to bring before Pilate, they behooved to make a case.
and found none--none that would suit their purpose, or make a decent ground of charge before Pilate.

All the council sought for witness and found none - What an amazing proof of the overruling providence of God, considering both their authority, and the rewards they could offer, that no two consistent witnesses could be procured, to charge him with any gross crime. Matthew 26:59.