John 18

Jesus Arrested

1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)

6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”

9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Jesus Taken to Annas

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father‑in‑law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Peter's First Denial

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard,

16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17 “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”

18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”

24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter's Second and Third Denials

25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?”

27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Jesus Before Pilate

28 Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.

29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected.

32 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

John 18

Betrayal and Arrest

1 When he had said these things,s Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley.t There was an orchardt there, and he and his disciples went into it.2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many timest with his disciples.)s

3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldierst and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees.ts They came to the orchardt with lanternsts and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him,t came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”t5 They replied,ts “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.)s6 So when Jesust said to them, “I am he,” they retreatedt and fell to the ground.s7 Then Jesust asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”8 Jesus replied,t “I told you that I am he. If you are looking fort me, let these ment go.”s

9 He said thist to fulfill the word he had spoken,s “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.”ts
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave,t cutting off his right ear.s (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.)s

11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”ts

Jesus Before Annas

12 Then the squad of soldierst with their commanding officert and the officers of the Jewish leaderst arrestedt Jesus and tied him up.t13 Theyt brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.s

14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advisedt the Jewish leaderst that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)s

Peter’s First Denial

15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas.t (Now the other disciplets was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.)s16 But Simon Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door,t and brought Peter inside.17 The girlt who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?”t He replied,t “I am not.”

18 (Now the slavest and the guardst were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold.t Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.)s

Jesus Questioned by Annas

19 While this was happening,t the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.s20 Jesus replied,t “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagoguess and in the temple courts,t where all the Jewish peoplet assemble together. It have said nothing in secret.21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said.t Theyt know what I said.”22 When Jesust had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said,t “Is that the way you answer the high priest?”23 Jesus replied,t “If I have said something wrong,t confirmt what is wrong.t But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?”

24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up,t to Caiaphas the high priest.s

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyardt warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”t Petert denied it: “I am not!”26 One of the high priest’s slaves,t a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,s said, “Did I not see you in the orchardt with him?”t

27 Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.ts

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence.ts (Now it was very early morning.)s Theyt did not go into the governor’s residencet so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal.29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusationt do you bring against this man?”s

30 They replied,t “If this mant were not a criminal,t we would not have handed him over to you.”t
31 Pilate told them,t “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on himt according to your own law!”s The Jewish leaderst replied,t “We cannot legally put anyone to death.”ts

32 (This happenedt to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicatedt what kind of death he was going to die.s)

Pilate Questions Jesus

33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence,t summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”s34 Jesus replied,t “Are you saying this on your own initiative,t or have others told you about me?”

35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I?s Your own peoplet and your chief priests handed you overt to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from beingt handed overt to the Jewish authorities.t But as it is,t my kingdom is not from here.”37 Then Pilate said,t “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens tot my voice.”

38 Pilate asked,t “What is truth?”s
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaderst and announced,t “I find no basis for an accusationt against him.39 But it is your custom that I release one prisonert for you at the Passover.s So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”

40 Then they shouted back,t “Not this man,t but Barabbas!”s (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.t)s