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. Judas,(B) who betrayed(C) him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 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.

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?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.

“I am he,”(F) Jesus told them.

Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. When Jesus told them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.

Then he asked them again, “Who is it that you’re seeking?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

“I told you I am he,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for me, let these men go.” 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)

Footnotes

  1. 18:3 Or temple police, or officers, also in vv. 12,18,22
  2. 18:23 Or him, “testify
  3. 18:30 Lit an evil doer
  4. 18:36 Or But now
  5. 18:40 Or robber; see Jn 10:1,8 for the same Gk word used here

Jesus Is Arrested(A)

18 After Yeshua finished his prayer, he went with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley. They entered the garden that was there.

Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place because Yeshua and his disciples often gathered there. So Judas took a troop of soldiers and the guards from the chief priests and Pharisees and went to the garden. They were carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Yeshua knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went to meet them and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

They answered him, “Yeshua from Nazareth.”

Yeshua told them, “I am he.”

Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with the crowd. When Yeshua told them, “I am he,” the crowd backed away and fell to the ground.

Yeshua asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”

They said, “Yeshua from Nazareth.”

Yeshua replied, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go.” In this way what Yeshua had said came true: “I lost none of those you gave me.”

10 Simon Peter had a sword. He drew it, attacked the chief priest’s servant, and cut off the servant’s right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Yeshua told Peter, “Put your sword away. Shouldn’t I drink the cup of suffering that my Father has given me?”

12 Then the army officer and the Jewish guards arrested Yeshua. They tied Yeshua up 13 and took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas, the chief priest that year, 14 was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus(B)

15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Yeshua. The other disciple was well-known to the chief priest. So that disciple went with Yeshua into the chief priest’s courtyard. 16 Peter, however, was standing outside the gate. The other disciple talked to the woman who was the gatekeeper and brought Peter into the courtyard.

17 The gatekeeper asked Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples too?”

Peter answered, “No, I’m not!”

18 The servants and the guards were standing around a fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was standing there, too, and warming himself with the others.

The Chief Priest Questions Jesus

19 The chief priest questioned Yeshua about his disciples and his teachings.

20 Yeshua answered him, “I have spoken publicly for everyone to hear. I have always taught in synagogues or in the temple courtyard, where all the Jews gather. I haven’t said anything in secret. 21 Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said to them. They know what I’ve said.”

22 When Yeshua said this, one of the guards standing near Yeshua slapped his face and said, “Is that how you answer the chief priest?”

23 Yeshua replied to him, “If I’ve said anything wrong, tell me what it was. But if I’ve told the truth, why do you hit me?”

24 Annas sent Yeshua to Caiaphas, the chief priest. Yeshua was still tied up.

Peter Denies Jesus Again(C)

25 Simon Peter continued to stand and warm himself by the fire. Some men asked him, “Aren’t you, too, one of his disciples?”

Peter denied it by saying, “No, I’m not!”

26 One of the chief priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, “Didn’t I see you with Yeshua in the garden?”

27 Peter again denied it, and just then a rooster crowed.

Pilate Questions Jesus(D)

28 Early in the morning, Yeshua was taken from Caiaphas’ house to the governor’s palace.

The Jews wouldn’t go into the palace. They didn’t want to become unclean,[a] since they wanted to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What accusation are you making against this man?”

30 The Jews answered Pilate, “If he weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate told the Jews, “Take him, and try him by your law.”

The Jews answered him, “We’re not allowed to execute anyone.” 32 In this way what Yeshua had predicted about how he would die came true.

33 Pilate went back into the palace, called for Yeshua, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34 Yeshua replied, “Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about me?”

35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36 Yeshua answered, “My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn’t have its origin on earth.”

37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?”

Yeshua replied, “You’re correct in saying that I’m a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I don’t find this man guilty of anything. 39 You have a custom that I should free one person for you at Passover. Would you like me to free the king of the Jews for you?”

40 The Jews shouted again, “Don’t free this man! Free Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a political revolutionary.)

Footnotes

  1. John 18:28 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.