Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

18 When Jesus had spoken these words, ^(A)he went out with his disciples across ^(B)the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. ² Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew ^(C)the place, for ^(D)Jesus often met there with his disciples. ^3 (E)So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴ Then Jesus, ^(F)knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, ^(G)“Whom do you seek?” ⁵ They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”^[a] Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ^6 (H)When Jesus^[b] said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷ So he asked them again, ^(I)“Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” ^9 (J)This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, ^(K)having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant^[c] and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) ¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; ^(L)shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas

¹² So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews^[d] arrested Jesus and bound him. ¹³ First they ^(M)led him to ^(N)Annas, for he was the father-in-law of ^(O)Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews ^(P)that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus

^15 (Q)Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, ^16 (R)but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. ^17 (S)The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the servants^[e] and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. ^(T)Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

^19 (U)The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I have spoken ^(V)openly ^(W)to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. ^(X)I have said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” ²² When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, ^(Y)“Is that how you answer the high priest?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” ^24 (Z)Annas then sent him bound to ^(AA)Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Jesus Again

^25 (AB)Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of ^(AC)the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you ^(AD)in the garden with him?” ²⁷ Peter again denied it, and ^(AE)at once a rooster crowed.

Jesus Before Pilate

^28 (AF)Then they led Jesus ^(AG)from the house of Caiaphas to ^(AH)the governor's headquarters.^[f] It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, ^(AI)so that they would not be defiled, ^(AJ)but could eat the Passover. ^29 (AK)So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” ³⁰ They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” ³¹ Pilate said to them, ^(AL)“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” ^32 (AM)This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken ^(AN)to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

^33 (AO)So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ^(AP)“Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, ^(AQ)“My kingdom ^(AR)is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, ^(AS)my servants would have been fighting, that ^(AT)I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷ Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, ^(AU)“You say that I am a king. ^(AV)For this purpose I was born and for this purpose ^(AW)I have come into the world—^(AX)to bear witness to the truth. ^(AY)Everyone who is ^(AZ)of the truth ^(BA)listens to my voice.” ³⁸ Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, ^(BB)he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ^(BC)“I find no guilt in him. ^39 (BD)But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ They cried out again, ^(BE)“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.^[g]

Absalom's Conspiracy

15 After this Absalom ^(A)got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. ² And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside ^(B)the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” ³ Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” ⁴ Then Absalom would say, ^(C)“Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” ⁵ And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ And at the end of four^[a] years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. ⁸ For your servant ^(D)vowed a vow ^(E)while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to^[b] the Lord.’” ⁹ The king said to him, ^(F)“Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. ¹⁰ But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” ¹¹ With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem ^(G)who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. ¹² And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for^{[c] (H)}Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^(I)David's counselor, from his city ^(J)Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom ^(K)kept increasing.

David Flees Jerusalem

¹³ And a messenger came to David, saying, ^(L)“The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” ¹⁴ Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us ^(M)flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” ¹⁵ And the king's servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” ¹⁶ So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ^(N)ten concubines to keep the house. ¹⁷ And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.

¹⁸ And ^(O)all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from ^(P)Gath, passed on before the king. ¹⁹ Then the king said to ^(Q)Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. ²⁰ You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go ^(R)I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show^[d] steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” ²¹ But Ittai answered the king, ^(S)“As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, ^(T)wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” ²² And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. ²³ And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed ^(U)the brook ^(V)Kidron, and all the people passed on toward ^(W)the wilderness.

²⁴ And ^(X)Abiathar came up, and behold, ^(Y)Zadok came also with all the Levites, ^(Z)bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. ²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will ^(AA)bring me back and let me see both it and his ^(AB)dwelling place. ²⁶ But if he says, ‘I have no ^(AC)pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, ^(AD)let him do to me what seems good to him.” ²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a ^(AE)seer? Go back^[e] to the city in peace, with ^(AF)your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸ See, I will wait at ^(AG)the fords of ^(AH)the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

³⁰ But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, ^(AI)barefoot and ^(AJ)with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, ^(AK)weeping as they went. ³¹ And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please ^(AL)turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

³² While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai ^(AM)the Archite came to meet him ^(AN)with his coat torn and ^(AO)dirt on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be ^(AP)a burden to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ^(AQ)‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. ³⁵ Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, ^(AR)tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶ Behold, ^(AS)their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son, ^(AT)and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” ³⁷ So Hushai, ^(AU)David's friend, came into the city, ^(AV)just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

Joab Rebukes David

19 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” ² So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” ³ And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. ⁴ The king ^(A)covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, ^(B)“O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” ⁵ Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, ⁶ because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. ⁷ Now therefore arise, go out and speak ^(C)kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” ⁸ Then the king arose and took his ^(D)seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Now Israel had ^(E)fled every man to his own home. ⁹ And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ^(F)“The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and ^(G)saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now ^(H)he has fled out of the land from Absalom. ¹⁰ But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

¹¹ And King David sent this message to ^(I)Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?^{[a] 12} You are my brothers; ^(J)you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ^(K)‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^(L)God do so to me and more also, if you are not ^(M)commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’” ¹⁴ And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah ^(N)as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” ¹⁵ So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

David Pardons His Enemies

¹⁶ And ^(O)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And ^(P)Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, ¹⁸ and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household and to do his pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, ¹⁹ and said to the king, ^(Q)“Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant ^(R)did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first ^(S)of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because ^(T)he cursed the Lord's anointed?” ²² But David said, ^(U)“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? ^(V)Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” ^23 (W)And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

²⁴ And ^(X)Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. ²⁵ And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, ^(Y)“Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself,^[b] that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For ^(Z)your servant is lame. ^27 (AA)He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is ^(AB)like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. ²⁸ For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but ^(AC)you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” ²⁹ And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” ³⁰ And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

³¹ Now ^(AD)Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³² Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. ^(AE)He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³ And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” ³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, ^(AF)“How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am this day ^(AG)eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be ^(AH)an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? ³⁷ Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant ^(AI)Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” ³⁸ And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” ³⁹ Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And ^(AJ)the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. ⁴⁰ The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

⁴¹ Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and ^(AK)brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?” ⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is ^(AL)our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?” ⁴³ And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ^(AM)ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” ^(AN)But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Rehoboam Secures His Kingdom

11 ^(A)When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. ² But the word of the Lord came to ^(B)Shemaiah the man of God: ³ “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, ⁴ ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against ^(C)your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned and did not go against Jeroboam.

⁵ Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built ^(D)cities for defense in Judah. ⁶ He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, ⁷ Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, ⁸ Gath, ^(E)Mareshah, Ziph, ⁹ Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, ¹⁰ Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. ¹¹ He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. ¹² And he put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

Priests and Levites Come to Jerusalem

¹³ And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. ¹⁴ For the Levites left ^(F)their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, ^(G)because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord, ¹⁵ and he appointed his own ^(H)priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for ^(I)the calves that he had made. ^16 (J)And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. ^17 (K)They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam's Family

¹⁸ Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of ^(L)Eliab the son of Jesse, ¹⁹ and she bore him sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. ²⁰ After her he took ^(M)Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him ^(N)Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹ Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). ^22 (O)And Rehoboam appointed ^(P)Abijah the son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. ²³ And he dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities, and he gave them abundant provisions and procured wives for them.^[a]