John 18
Christian Standard Bible
Jesus Betrayed
18 After(A) Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Judas,(B) who betrayed(C) him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas took a company of soldiers and some officials[a] from the chief priests and the Pharisees(D) and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to him,(E) went out and said to them, “Who is it that you’re seeking?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.
“I am he,”(F) Jesus told them.
Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. 6 When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.
7 Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 “I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill(G) the words he had said: “I have not lost one of those you have given me.”(H)
10 Then Simon(I) Peter,(J) who had a sword,(K) drew it, struck the high priest’s(L) servant, and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away! Am I not to drink the cup(M) the Father has given me?”
Jesus Arrested and Taken to Annas
12 Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13 First they led him to Annas,(N) since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,(O) who was high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better for one man to die for the people.(P)
Peter Denies Jesus
15 Simon Peter(Q) was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.
17 Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?”
“I am not,” he said. 18 Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.
Jesus before Annas
19 The high priest(R) questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue(S) and in the temple,(T) where all the Jews gather, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”
22 When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
23 “If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence[b] about the wrong; but if rightly,(U) why do you hit me?” 24 Then(V) Annas(W) sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Twice More
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, 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 had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Peter denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.(X)
Jesus before Pilate
28 Then(Y) they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters.(Z) It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate(AA) came out to them and said, “What charge(AB) do you bring against this man?”
30 They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal,[c] we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.”
“It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32 They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.(AC)
33 Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (AD)
34 Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”
35 “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36 “My kingdom(AE) is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world,(AF) my servants(AG) would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is,[d] my kingdom is not from here.”(AH)
37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.
“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world(AI) for this: to testify(AJ) to the truth.(AK) Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
38 “What is truth?” said Pilate.
Jesus or Barabbas
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds(AL) for charging him. 39 You(AM) have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
40 They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (AN) Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.[e](AO)
John 18
New Century Version
Jesus Is Arrested
18 When Jesus finished praying, he went with his followers across the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and Jesus and his followers went into it.
2 Judas knew where this place was, because Jesus met there often with his followers. Judas was the one who turned against Jesus. 3 So Judas came there with a group of soldiers and some guards from the leading priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.
4 Knowing everything that would happen to him, Jesus went out and asked, “Who is it you are looking for?”
5 They answered, “Jesus from Nazareth.”
“I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, the one who turned against Jesus, was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground.
7 Jesus asked them again, “Who is it you are looking for?”
They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 “I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “So if you are looking for me, let the others go.” 9 This happened so that the words Jesus said before would come true: “I have not lost any of the ones you gave me.”
10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back. Shouldn’t I drink the cup[a] the Father gave me?”
Jesus Is Brought Before Annas
12 Then the soldiers with their commander and the guards arrested Jesus. They tied him 13 and led him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who told the Jews that it would be better if one man died for all the people.
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus
15 Simon Peter and another one of Jesus’ followers went along after Jesus. This follower knew the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard. 16 But Peter waited outside near the door. The follower who knew the high priest came back outside, spoke to the girl at the door, and brought Peter inside. 17 The girl at the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of that man’s followers?”
Peter answered, “No, I am not!”
18 It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a fire and were standing around it, warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 The high priest asked Jesus questions about his followers and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to everyone. I have always taught in synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews come together. I never said anything in secret. 21 So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, “Is that the way you answer the high priest?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I said something wrong, then show what it was. But if what I said is true, why do you hit me?”
24 Then Annas sent Jesus, who was still tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Says Again He Doesn’t Know Jesus
25 As Simon Peter was standing and warming himself, they said to him, “Aren’t you one of that man’s followers?”
Peter said it was not true; he said, “No, I am not.”
26 One of the servants of the high priest was there. This servant was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. The servant said, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”
27 Again Peter said it wasn’t true. At once a rooster crowed.
Jesus Is Brought Before Pilate
28 Early in the morning they led Jesus from Caiaphas’s house to the Roman governor’s palace. They would not go inside the palace, because they did not want to make themselves unclean;[b] they wanted to eat the Passover meal. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and asked, “What charges do you bring against this man?”
30 They answered, “If he were not a criminal, we wouldn’t have brought him to you.”
31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we are not allowed to put anyone to death,” the Jews answered. 32 (This happened so that what Jesus said about how he would die would come true.)
33 Then Pilate went back inside the palace and called Jesus to him and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 Jesus said, “Is that your own question, or did others tell you about me?”
35 Pilate answered, “I am not one of you. It was your own people and their leading priests who handed you over to me. What have you done wrong?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belonged to this world, my servants would have fought to keep me from being given over to the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is from another place.”
37 Pilate said, “So you are a king!”
Jesus answered, “You are the one saying I am a king. This is why I was born and came into the world: to tell people the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”
38 Pilate said, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out to the crowd again and said to them, “I find nothing against this man. 39 But it is your custom that I free one prisoner to you at Passover time. Do you want me to free the ‘king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!” (Barabbas was a robber.)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
