John 18
Common English Bible
Arrest in the garden
18 After he said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples and crossed over to the other side of the Kidron Valley. He and his disciples entered a garden there. 2 Judas, his betrayer, also knew the place because Jesus often gathered there with his disciples. 3 Judas brought a company of soldiers[a] and some guards from the chief priests and Pharisees. They came there carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus knew everything that was to happen to him, so he went out and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
5 They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
He said to them, “I Am.”[b] (Judas, his betrayer, was standing with them.) 6 When he said, “I Am,” they shrank back and fell to the ground. 7 He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8 Jesus answered, “I told you, ‘I Am.’[c] If you are looking for me, then let these people go.” 9 This was so that the word he had spoken might be fulfilled: “I didn’t lose anyone of those whom 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 told Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup the Father has given me?” 12 Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the guards from the Jewish leaders took Jesus into custody. They bound him 13 and led him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. (14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was better for one person to die for the people.)
Peter denies Jesus
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Because this other disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 However, Peter stood outside near the gate. Then the other disciple (the one known to the high priest) came out and spoke to the woman stationed at the gate, and she brought Peter in. 17 The servant woman stationed at the gate asked Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?”
“I’m not,” he replied. 18 The servants and the guards had made a fire because it was cold. They were standing around it, warming themselves. Peter joined them there, standing by the fire and warming himself.
Jesus testifies
19 Meanwhile, the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I’ve spoken openly to the world. I’ve always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews gather. I’ve said nothing in private. 21 Why ask me? Ask those who heard what I told them. They know what I said.”
22 After Jesus spoke, one of the guards standing there slapped Jesus in the face. “Is that how you would answer the high priest?” he asked.
23 Jesus replied, “If I speak wrongly, testify about what was wrong. But if I speak correctly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him, bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter denies Jesus again
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing with the guards, warming himself. They asked, “Aren’t you one of his disciples?”
Peter denied it, saying, “I’m not.”
26 A servant of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said to him, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Trial before Pilate
28 The Jewish leaders led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s palace.[d] It was early in the morning. So that they could eat the Passover, the Jewish leaders wouldn’t enter the palace; entering the palace would have made them ritually impure.
29 So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What charge do you bring against this man?”
30 They answered, “If he had done nothing wrong, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate responded, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your Law.”
The Jewish leaders replied, “The Law doesn’t allow us to kill anyone.” (32 This was so that Jesus’ word might be fulfilled when he indicated how he was going to die.)
Pilate questions Jesus
33 Pilate went back into the palace. He summoned Jesus and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others spoken to you about me?”
35 Pilate responded, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world. If it did, my guards would fight so that I wouldn’t have been arrested by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom isn’t from here.”
37 “So you are a king?” Pilate said.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Release of Barabbas
After Pilate said this, he returned to the Jewish leaders and said, “I find no grounds for any charge against him. 39 You have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at Passover. Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”
40 They shouted, “Not this man! Give us Barabbas!” (Barabbas was an outlaw.)
Footnotes
- John 18:3 Or cohort (approximately six hundred soldiers)
- John 18:5 Or It is I
- John 18:8 Or It is I
- John 18:28 Or praetorium
John 18
New American Standard Bible
Judas Betrays Jesus
18 When Jesus had spoken these words, (A)He went away with His disciples across (B)the [a]ravine of the Kidron, where there was (C)a garden which He entered [b]with His disciples. 2 Now Judas, who was [c]betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had (D)often met there with His disciples. 3 (E)So Judas, having obtained (F)the Roman [d]cohort and (G)officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns, (H)torches, and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, (I)knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and *said to them, “(J)Whom are you seeking?” 5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 He then asked them again, “(K)Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” 9 This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “(L)Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, (M)since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; (N)the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”
Jesus before the Priests
12 (O)So (P)the Roman [e]cohort, the [f]commander, and the (Q)officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him, 13 and brought Him to (R)Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of (S)Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that (T)it was in their best interest for one man to die in behalf of the people.
15 (U)Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into (V)the courtyard of the high priest, 16 (W)but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. 17 (X)Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper *said to Peter, “(Y)You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He *said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the (Z)officers were standing there, having made (AA)a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were (AB)warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.
19 (AC)The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I (AD)have spoken openly to the world; I always (AE)taught in [g]synagogues and (AF)in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret. 21 Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.” 22 But when He said this, one of the (AG)officers, who was standing nearby, (AH)struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” 23 (AI)Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” 24 (AJ)So Annas sent Him bound to (AK)Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Denial of Jesus
25 (AL)Now (AM)Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “(AN)You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one (AO)whose ear Peter cut off, *said, “Did I not see you in (AP)the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately (AQ)a rooster crowed.
Jesus before Pilate
28 (AR)Then they *brought Jesus from (AS)Caiaphas into (AT)the [h]Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter (AU)the [i]Praetorium, so that (AV)they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 (AW)Therefore Pilate came out to them and *said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?” 30 They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not [j]a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.” 31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not [k]permitted to put anyone to death.” 32 This happened so that (AX)the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.
33 Therefore Pilate (AY)entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “(AZ)You are the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this [l]on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “(BA)My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not [m]of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “(BB)You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: (BC)to testify to the truth. (BD)Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” 38 Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”
And after saying this, he (BE)came out again to the Jews and *said to them, “(BF)I find no grounds at all for charges in [n]His case. 39 (BG)However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner [o]for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release [p]for you the King of the Jews?” 40 So they shouted again, saying, “(BH)Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.
Footnotes
- John 18:1 Lit winter torrent; or wadi
- John 18:1 Lit and
- John 18:2 Or handing Him over
- John 18:3 Normally 600 men (the number varied)
- John 18:12 Normally 600 men (the number varied)
- John 18:12 I.e., commander of the cohort
- John 18:20 Lit a synagogue
- John 18:28 I.e., governor’s official residence
- John 18:28 I.e., governor’s official residence
- John 18:30 Lit one doing evil
- John 18:31 I.e., under Roman law
- John 18:34 Lit from yourself
- John 18:36 Lit from here
- John 18:38 Lit Him
- John 18:39 Or to you
- John 18:39 Or to you
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
