18 Having said these things, Jesus went out with His disciples beyond (across) the winter torrent of the Kidron [in the ravine]. There was a garden there, which He and His disciples entered.

² And Judas, who was betraying Him and delivering Him up, also knew the place, because Jesus had often retired there with His disciples.

³ So Judas, obtaining and taking charge of the band of soldiers and some guards (attendants) of the high priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴ Then Jesus, knowing all that was about to befall Him, went out to them and said, Whom are you seeking? [Whom do you want?]

⁵ They answered Him, Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus said to them, I am He. Judas, who was betraying Him, was also standing with them.

⁶ When Jesus said to them, I am He, they went backwards (drew back, lurched backward) and fell to the ground.

⁷ Then again He asked them, Whom are you seeking? And they said, Jesus the Nazarene.

⁸ Jesus answered, I told you that I am He. So, if you want Me [if it is only I for Whom you are looking], let these men go their way.

⁹ Thus what He had said was fulfilled and verified, Of those whom You have given Me, I have not lost even one.^(A)

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

¹¹ Therefore, Jesus said to Peter, Put the sword [back] into the sheath! The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?

¹² So the troops and their captain and the guards (attendants) of the Jews seized Jesus and bound Him,

¹³ And they brought Him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year.

¹⁴ It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was expedient and for their welfare that one man should die for (instead of, in behalf of) the people.^(B)

¹⁵ Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. And that disciple was known to the high priest, and so he entered along with Jesus into the court of the palace of the high priest;

¹⁶ But Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door and brought Peter inside.

¹⁷ Then the maid who was in charge at the door said to Peter, You are not also one of the disciples of this ^[a]Man, are you? He said, I am not!

¹⁸ Now the servants and the guards (the attendants) had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹ Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where the Jews [habitually] congregate (assemble); and I have spoken nothing secretly.

²¹ Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard [Me] what I said to them. See! They know what I said.

²² But when He said this, one of the attendants who stood by struck Jesus, saying, Is that how ^[b]You answer the high priest?

²³ Jesus replied, If I have said anything wrong [if I have spoken abusively, if there was evil in what I said] tell what was wrong with it. But if I spoke rightly and properly, why do you strike Me?

²⁴ Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵ But Simon Peter [still] was standing and was warming himself. They said to him, You are not also one of His disciples, are you? He denied it and said, I am not!

²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, said, Did I not see you in the garden with Him?

²⁷ And again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

²⁸ Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium (judgment hall, governor’s palace). And it was early. They themselves did not enter the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled (become ceremonially unclean), but might be fit to eat the Passover [supper].

²⁹ So Pilate went out to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this ^[c]Man?

³⁰ They retorted, If He were not an evildoer (criminal), we would not have handed Him over to you.

³¹ Pilate said to them, Take Him yourselves and judge and sentence and punish Him according to your [own] law. The Jews answered, It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.

³² This was to fulfill the word which Jesus had spoken to show (indicate, predict) by what manner of death He was to die.^(C)

³³ So Pilate went back again into the judgment hall and called Jesus and asked Him, Are You the King of the Jews?

³⁴ Jesus replied, Are you saying this of yourself [on your own initiative], or have others told you about Me?

³⁵ Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your [own] people and nation and their chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?

³⁶ Jesus answered, My kingdom (kingship, royal power) belongs not to this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My followers would have been fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here (this world); [it has no such origin or source].

³⁷ Pilate said to Him, Then You are a King? Jesus answered, You say it! [You speak correctly!] For I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice.

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, What is Truth? On saying this he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no fault in Him.

³⁹ But it is your custom that I release one [prisoner] for you at the Passover. So shall I release for you the King of the Jews?

⁴⁰ Then they all shouted back again, Not Him [not this Man], but Barabbas! Now Barabbas was a robber.

19 So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged (flogged, whipped) Him.

² And the soldiers, having twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and threw a purple cloak around Him.

³ And they kept coming to Him and saying, Hail, King of the Jews! [Good health to you! Peace to you! Long life to you, King of the Jews!] And they struck Him with the palms of their hands.^(A)

⁴ Then Pilate went out again and said to them, See, I bring Him out to you, so that you may know that I find no fault (crime, cause for accusation) in Him.

⁵ So Jesus came out wearing the thorny crown and purple cloak, and Pilate said to them, See, [here is] the ^[a]Man!

⁶ When the chief priests and attendants (guards) saw Him, they cried out, Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Pilate said to them, Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no fault (crime) in Him.

⁷ The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to that law He should die, because He has claimed and made Himself out to be the Son of God.

⁸ So, when Pilate heard this said, he was more alarmed and awestricken and afraid than before.

⁹ He went into the judgment hall again and said to Jesus, Where are You from? [To what world do You belong?] But Jesus did not answer him.

¹⁰ So Pilate said to Him, Will You not speak [even] to me? Do You not know that I have power (authority) to release You and I have power to crucify You?

¹¹ Jesus answered, You would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) Me if it were not given you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the one who delivered Me over to you is greater.

¹² Upon this, Pilate wanted (sought, was anxious) to release Him, but the Jews kept shrieking, If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anybody who makes himself [out to be] a king sets himself up against Caesar [is a rebel against the emperor]!

¹³ Hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement [the Mosaic Pavement, the Stone Platform]—in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about the sixth hour (about twelve o’clock noon). He said to the Jews, See, [here is] your King!

¹⁵ But they shouted, Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him! Pilate said to them, Crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar!

¹⁶ Then he delivered Him over to them to be crucified.

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14 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar timbers, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

² And David perceived that the Lord had established and confirmed him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted highly for His people Israel’s sake.

³ And David took more wives to Jerusalem, and [he] became the father of more sons and daughters.

⁴ Now these are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

⁷ Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

⁸ And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, [they] all went up to seek David. And [he] heard of it and went out before them.

⁹ Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁰ David asked God, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said, Go up, and I will deliver them into your hand.

¹¹ So [Israel] came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote [the Philistines] there. Then David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the bursting forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through].

¹² [The Philistines] left their gods there; David commanded and they were burned.

¹³ And the Philistines again made a raid in the valley.

¹⁴ And David inquired again of God, and God said to him, Do not go up after them; turn away from them and come [around] upon them over opposite the mulberry trees.

¹⁵ And when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry or balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to smite the Philistine host.

¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

¹⁷ And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.

15 David made for himself houses in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

² Then David said, None should carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever.

³ And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

⁴ And David gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites:

⁵ Of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with 120 kinsmen;

⁶ Of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with 220 kinsmen;

⁷ Of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with 130 kinsmen;

⁸ Of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with 200 kinsmen;

⁹ Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with 80 kinsmen;

¹⁰ Of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with 112 kinsmen.

¹¹ And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites—Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab,

¹² And said to them, You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, both you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

¹³ For because you bore it not [as God directed] at the first, the Lord our God broke forth upon us—because we did not seek Him in the way He ordained.^(A)

¹⁴ So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel.

¹⁵ The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord.

¹⁶ David told the chief Levites to appoint their brethren the singers with instruments of music—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to play loudly and lift up their voices with joy.

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah;

¹⁸ And with them their brethren of the second class: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and also the gatekeepers, Obed-edom and Jeiel.

¹⁹ So the singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound bronze cymbals;

²⁰ Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps [resembling guitars] set to Alamoth [probably the treble voice];

²¹ Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to Sheminith [the bass voice].

²² Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in singing, was put in charge of carrying the ark and lifting up song. He instructed about these matters because he was skilled and able.

²³ Berechiah and Elkanah were gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. And Obed-edom and Jehiah (Jeiel) were also gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy.

²⁶ And when God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord [with a safe start], they offered seven bulls and seven rams.

²⁷ David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who bore the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah, director of the music of the singers. David also wore an ephod [a priestly upper garment] of linen.

²⁸ Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, sound of the cornet, trumpets, and cymbals, sounding aloud with harps and lyres.

²⁹ As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, Michal [David’s wife] daughter of Saul, looking from a window, saw King David leaping as in sport, and she despised him in her heart.

16 So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

² And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

³ And he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

⁴ He appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord and to celebrate [by calling to mind], thanking and praising the Lord, the God of Israel:

⁵ Asaph was the chief, next to him Zechariah, Jeiel (Jaaziel), Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, and Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals;

⁶ Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

⁷ Then on that day David first entrusted to Asaph and his brethren the singing of thanks to the Lord [as their chief task]:

⁸ O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples!

⁹ Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them!

¹⁰ Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

¹¹ Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!

¹² [Earnestly] remember the marvelous deeds which He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered [as in Egypt],

¹³ O you offspring of [Abraham and] of Israel His servants, you children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

¹⁴ He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

¹⁵ Be mindful of His covenant forever, the promise which He commanded and established to a thousand generations,

¹⁶ The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His sworn promise to Isaac.

¹⁷ He confirmed it as a statute to Jacob, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,^(B)

¹⁸ Saying, To you I will give the land of Canaan, the measured portion of your possession and inheritance.

¹⁹ When they were but few, even a very few, and only temporary residents and strangers in it,

²⁰ When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people,

²¹ He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes, He reproved kings for their sakes,^(C)

²² Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.^(D)

²³ Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.

²⁴ Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.

²⁵ For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods.

²⁶ For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

²⁷ Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary.

²⁸ Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength,

²⁹ Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array.

³⁰ Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth’s peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved.

³¹ Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns!

³² Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them.

³³ Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth.

³⁴ O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

³⁵ And say, Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise.

³⁶ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, forever and ever! And all the people said Amen! and praised the Lord.

³⁷ So David left Asaph and his brethren before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, as each day’s work required,

³⁸ And Obed-edom with [his] sixty-eight kinsmen. Also Obed-edom son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, were to be gatekeepers.

³⁹ And David left Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon

⁴⁰ To offer burnt offerings to the Lord upon the altar of burnt offering continually, morning and evening, and to do all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel.

⁴¹ With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest who were chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.

⁴² With them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and instruments for accompanying the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the gate.

⁴³ Then all the people departed, each man to his house, and David returned home to bless his household.