John 18
The Message
Seized in the Garden at Night
18 Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it.
2-4 Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. Jesus, knowing by now everything that was imploding on him, went out and met them. He said, “Who are you after?”
They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
5-6 He said, “That’s me.” The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb.
7 Jesus asked again, “Who are you after?”
They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
8-9 “I told you,” said Jesus, “that’s me. I’m the one. So if it’s me you’re after, let these others go.” (This validated the words in his prayer, “I didn’t lose one of those you gave.”)
10 Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant’s name.
11 Jesus ordered Peter, “Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I’m not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?”
12-14 Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. They took him first to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.
15-16 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest’s courtyard. Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in.
17 The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples?”
He said, “No, I’m not.”
18 The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.
The Interrogation
19-21 Annas interrogated Jesus regarding his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, “I’ve spoken openly in public. I’ve taught regularly in meeting places and the Temple, where the Jews all come together. Everything has been out in the open. I’ve said nothing in secret. So why are you treating me like a traitor? Question those who have been listening to me. They know well what I have said. My teachings have all been aboveboard.”
22 When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, “How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!”
23 Jesus replied, “If I’ve said something wrong, prove it. But if I’ve spoken the plain truth, why this slapping around?”
24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, to the Chief Priest Caiaphas.
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was back at the fire, still trying to get warm. The others there said to him, “Aren’t you one of his disciples?”
He denied it, “Not me.”
26 One of the Chief Priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
27 Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed.
The King of the Jews
28-29 They led Jesus then from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s palace. It was early morning. They themselves didn’t enter the palace because they didn’t want to be disqualified from eating the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and spoke. “What charge do you bring against this man?”
30 They said, “If he hadn’t been doing something evil, do you think we’d be here bothering you?”
31-32 Pilate said, “You take him. Judge him by your law.”
The Jews said, “We’re not allowed to kill anyone.” (This would confirm Jesus’ word indicating the way he would die.)
33 Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”
34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?”
35 Pilate said, “Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?”
36 “My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But I’m not that kind of king, not the world’s kind of king.”
37 Then Pilate said, “So, are you a king or not?”
Jesus answered, “You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.”
38-39 Pilate said, “What is truth?”
Then he went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find nothing wrong in this man. It’s your custom that I pardon one prisoner at Passover. Do you want me to pardon the ‘King of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “Not this one, but Barabbas!” Barabbas was a Jewish freedom fighter.
John 18
1599 Geneva Bible
18 By Christ’s power, whom Judas betrayeth, 6 the soldiers are cast down to the ground. 13 Christ is led to Annas, and from him to Caiaphas. 22, 23 His answer to the officer that smote him with a rod. 28 Being delivered to Pilate, 36 he declareth his kingdom.
1 When [a]Jesus had spoken these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook (A)Kidron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
2 And Judas which betrayed him knew also the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
3 (B)[b]Judas then, after he had received a band of men and officers of the high Priests, and of the Pharisees, came thither with lanterns and torches, and weapons.
4 [c]Then Jesus, knowing all things that should come unto him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. Now Judas also which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went away backwards, and fell to the ground.
7 Then he asked them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 [d]Jesus answered, I said unto you, that I am he: therefore if ye seek me, let these go their way.
9 This was that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, (C)Of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none.
10 [e]Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and smote the high Priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servants name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: shall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath given me?
12 Then the band and the captain, and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.
13 [f]And led him away to (D)Annas first (for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high Priest that same year.)
14 (E)And Caiaphas was he, that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 ¶ (F)[g]Now Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple, and that disciple was known of the high Priest: therefore he went in with Jesus into the hall of the high Priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out the other disciple which was known unto the high Priest, and spake to her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then said the maid that kept the door, unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He said, I am not.
18 And the servants and officers stood there, which had made a fire of coals: for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter also stood among them, and warmed himself.
19 ¶ ([h]The high Priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine,
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world: I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple, whither the Jews resort continually, and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me what I said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 When he had spoken these things, one of the officers which stood by, smote Jesus with his rod, saying, Answerest thou the high Priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, If I have evil spoken, bear witness of the evil: but if I have well spoken, why smitest thou me?
24 ¶ (G)Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high Priest.)
25 (H)[i]And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, and they said unto him, Art not thou also of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 One of the servants of the high Priest, his cousin whose ear Peter smote off, said, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter then denied again, and immediately the cock crew.
28 (I)[j]Then led they Jesus from [k]Caiaphas into the common hall. Now it was morning, and they themselves went not into the common hall, lest they should be (J)defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30 They answered, and said unto him, If he were not an evil doer, we would not have delivered him unto thee.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him after your own Law. Then the Jews said unto him, [l]It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
32 It was that the word of Jesus (K)might be fulfilled which he spake, [m]signifying what death he should die.
33 (L)So Pilate entered into the common hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the king of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou that of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation, and the high Priest have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?
36 [n]Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would surely fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate then said unto him, Art thou a King then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King: for this cause am I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth: everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
38 [o]Pilate said unto him, [p]What is truth? And when he had said that, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no cause at all.
39 (M)But you have a custom that I should deliver you one loose at the Passover: will ye then that I loose unto you the King of the Jews?
40 (N)Then [q]cried they all again, saying, Not him, but Barabbas: now this Barabbas was a murderer.
Footnotes
- John 18:1 Christ goeth of his own accord into a garden, which his betrayer knew, to be taken: that by his obedience he might take away the sin that entered into the world by one man’s rebellion, and that in a garden.
- John 18:3 Christ, who was innocent, was taken as a wicked person, that we which are wicked might be let go as innocent.
- John 18:4 Christ’s person (but not his virtue) was bound of the adversaries, when and how he would.
- John 18:8 Christ doth not neglect the office of a good pastor, no not in his greatest danger.
- John 18:10 We ought to contain the zeal we bear to God, within the bounds of our vocation.
- John 18:13 Christ is brought before an earthly high Priest to be condemned for our blasphemies, that we might be acquitted of the everlasting high Priest himself.
- John 18:15 A lively example of the fragility of man even in the best, when they be once left to themselves.
- John 18:19 Christ defendeth his cause but slenderly, not that he would withdraw himself from death, but to show that he was condemned as an innocent.
- John 18:25 After that men have once fallen, they cannot only not lift themselves by their own strength, but also they fall more and more into worse, until they be raised up again, by a new virtue of God.
- John 18:28 The Son of God is brought before the judgment seat of an earthly and profane man, in whom there is found much less wickedness, than in the princes of the people of God: A lively image of the wrath of God against sin, and therewithal of his great mercy, and least of all, of his most severe judgment against the stubborn contemners of his grace when it is offered unto them.
- John 18:28 From Caiaphas’s house.
- John 18:31 For judgments of life and death were taken from them forty years before the destruction of the temple.
- John 18:32 For Christ had foretold that he should be crucified.
- John 18:36 Christ avoucheth his spiritual kingdom, but rejecteth a worldly.
- John 18:38 It was requisite that Christ should be pronounced innocent, but notwithstanding (in that that he took upon him our person) was to be condemned as a most wicked man.
- John 18:38 He speaketh this disdainfully and scoffingly, and not by way of asking a question.
- John 18:40 Word for word, made a great and foul voice.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
