Mat 26:59-60 | TNotes | STEP | 26:59 were trying to find witnesses: The verb tense suggests an extended, perhaps desperate, attempt to find any testimony that could lead to a formal accusation (see Mark 14:55-56 ).

bMark 14:55-56►

dDeut 17:6►

‏ Matthew 26:59-60

26:59 ^a were trying to find witnesses: The verb tense suggests an extended, perhaps desperate, attempt to find any testimony that could lead to a formal accusation (see Mark 14:55-56 ^b).
26:60 ^c could not use anyone’s testimony: The evidence was too insubstantial or inconsistent to meet their goal of a death sentence until two men came forward (Deut 17:6 ^d; 19:15 ^e) with testimonies that did not conflict.