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 temple police 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 you’re looking for?”

“Jesus the Nazarene,” they answered.

“I am He,”[a](F) Jesus told them.

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

Then He asked them again, “Who is it you’re looking for?”

“Jesus the Nazarene,” 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) slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave’s name was Malchus.)

11 At that, Jesus said to Peter, “Sheathe your sword! 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 temple police arrested Jesus and tied Him up. 13 First they led Him to Annas,(N) for 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 was advantageous that one man should die for the people.(P)

Peter Denies Jesus

15 Meanwhile, 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 slave 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 slaves and the temple police 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 complex,(T) where all the Jews congregate, 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 temple police 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 slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?”

27 Peter then denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.(X)

Jesus before Pilate

28 Then(Y) they took 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 Then 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 So Pilate told them, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law.”

“It’s not legal[d] for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. 32 They said this so that Jesus’ words might be fulfilled signifying 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[e](AG) would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.”[f](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.[g](AO)

Footnotes

  1. John 18:5 Lit I am; see note at Jn 8:58.
  2. John 18:23 Or him, testify
  3. John 18:30 Lit an evil doer
  4. John 18:31 According to Roman law
  5. John 18:36 Or attendants, or helpers
  6. John 18:36 Lit My kingdom is not from here
  7. John 18:40 Or robber; see Jn 10:1,8 for the same Gk word used here

18 These things having said, Jesus went forth with his disciples beyond the brook of Kedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples,

and Judas also, who delivered him up, had known the place, because many times did Jesus assemble there with his disciples.

Judas, therefore, having taken the band and officers out of the chief priests and Pharisees, doth come thither with torches and lamps, and weapons;

Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that are coming upon him, having gone forth, said to them, `Whom do ye seek?'

they answered him, `Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, `I am [he];' -- and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them; --

when, therefore, he said to them -- `I am [he],' they went away backward, and fell to the ground.

Again, therefore, he questioned them, `Whom do ye seek?' and they said, `Jesus the Nazarene;'

Jesus answered, `I said to you that I am [he]; if, then, me ye seek, suffer these to go away;'

that the word might be fulfilled that he said -- `Those whom Thou hast given to me, I did not lose of them even one.'

10 Simon Peter, therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the chief priest's servant, and cut off his right ear -- and the name of the servant was Malchus --

11 Jesus, therefore, said to Peter, `Put the sword into the sheath; the cup that the Father hath given to me, may I not drink it?'

12 The band, therefore, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews, took hold on Jesus, and bound him,

13 and they led him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was chief priest of that year,

14 and Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it is good for one man to perish for the people.

15 And following Jesus was Simon Peter, and the other disciple, and that disciple was known to the chief priest, and he entered with Jesus to the hall of the chief priest,

16 and Peter was standing at the door without, therefore went forth the other disciple who was known to the chief priest, and he spake to the female keeping the door, and he brought in Peter.

17 Then said the maid keeping the door to Peter, `Art thou also of the disciples of this man?' he saith, `I am not;'

18 and the servants and the officers were standing, having made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, and warming himself.

19 The chief priests, therefore, questioned Jesus concerning his disciples, and concerning his teaching;

20 Jesus answered him, `I spake freely to the world, I did always teach in a synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews do always come together; and in secret I spake nothing;

21 why me dost thou question? question those having heard what I spake to them; lo, these have known what I said.'

22 And he having said these things, one of the officers standing by did give Jesus a slap, saying, `Thus dost thou answer the chief priest?'

23 Jesus answered him, `If I spake ill, testify concerning the ill; and if well, why me dost thou smite?'

24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the chief priest.

25 And Simon Peter was standing and warming himself, they said then to him, `Art thou also of his disciples?' he denied, and said, `I am not.'

26 One of the servants of the chief priest, being kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, `Did not I see thee in the garden with him?'

27 again, therefore, Peter denied, and immediately a cock crew.

28 They led, therefore, Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium, and it was early, and they themselves did not enter into the praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the passover;

29 Pilate, therefore, went forth unto them, and said, `What accusation do ye bring against this man?'

30 they answered and said to him, `If he were not an evil doer, we had not delivered him to thee.'

31 Pilate, therefore, said to them, `Take ye him -- ye -- and according to your law judge him;' the Jews, therefore, said to him, `It is not lawful to us to put any one to death;'

32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which he said, signifying by what death he was about to die.

33 Pilate, therefore, entered into the praetorium again, and called Jesus, and said to him, `Thou art the King of the Jews?'

34 Jesus answered him, `From thyself dost thou say this? or did others say it to thee about me?'

35 Pilate answered, `Am I a Jew? thy nation, and the chief priests did deliver thee up to me; what didst thou?'

36 Jesus answered, `My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my officers had struggled that I might not be delivered up to Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence.'

37 Pilate, therefore, said to him, `Art thou then a king?' Jesus answered, `Thou dost say [it]; because a king I am, I for this have been born, and for this I have come to the world, that I may testify to the truth; every one who is of the truth, doth hear my voice.'

38 Pilate saith to him, `What is truth?' and this having said, again he went forth unto the Jews, and saith to them, `I do find no fault in him;

39 and ye have a custom that I shall release to you one in the passover; will ye, therefore, [that] I shall release to you the king of the Jews?'

40 therefore they all cried out again, saying, `Not this one -- but Barabbas;' and Barabbas was a robber.