John 18
1 After Jesus had finished speaking, he and his disciples crossed over the Kidron brook and went into an olive grove.
When Jesus had said this, he went out with his disciples and crossed the Kidron ravine to a place where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples went.
2 Judas the betrayer knew the place, for Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.
The place was well known to Judas, the betrayer, for Jesus and his disciples had often met there.
3 So Judas took with him a troop of soldiers together with guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They arrived there carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.
So Judas, who had obtained the soldiers of the Roman garrison, and some guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. He went to meet them, and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Jesus, aware of all that was coming upon him, went to meet them, and said to them, “For whom are you looking?”
5 “Are you Jesus of Nazareth?” they asked. “I am,” Jesus told them. Judas the betrayer was standing with them.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” was their answer. “I am he,” said Jesus. (Judas, the betrayer, was also standing with them.)
6 When Jesus said “I am,” they fell back and dropped to the ground.
When Jesus said ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 So he asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” “Are you Jesus of Nazareth?” they asked again.
So he again asked for whom they were looking, and they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 “I already told you I am,” Jesus replied. “So if I'm the one you're looking for, let these others go.”
“I have already told you that I am he,” replied Jesus, “so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these people go.”
9 These words fulfilled what he had previously said: “I have not lost any of those you gave me.”
This was in fulfillment of his words – ‘Of those whom you have given me I have not lost one.’
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and struck Malchus, the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.
At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11 Jesus told Peter, “Put the sword away! Do you think I shouldn't drink the cup the Father has given me?”
But Jesus said to Peter, “Sheathe your sword. Should I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?”
12 Then the soldiers, their commander, and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus and tied his hands.
So the soldiers of the garrison, with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards, arrested Jesus and bound him,
13 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current high priest.
and took him first of all to Annas. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the Jews, “It's better that one man die for the people.”
It was Caiaphas who had counseled the religious authorities, that it was best that one person should die for the people.
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple did so too. This disciple was well-known to the high priest, and so he entered the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
Meanwhile Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the high priest, went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,
16 Peter had to remain outside by the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went and spoke to the servant girl watching the door and brought Peter inside.
while Peter stood outside by the door. Presently the other disciple – the one well-known to the high priest – went out and spoke to the portress, and brought Peter in.
17 The girl asked Peter, “Aren't you one of that man's disciples?” “Me? No, I'm not,” he replied.
So the maidservant said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “No, I am not,” he said.
18 It was cold, and the servants and guards were standing by a fire they had made, warming themselves. Peter went and stood with them, warming himself.
The servants and guards were standing around a charcoal fire (which they had made because it was cold), and were warming themselves. Peter, too, was with them, standing and warming himself.
19 Then the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and what he had been teaching.
The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
20 “I've spoken openly to everyone,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jewish people meet. I haven't said anything in secret.
“For my part,” answered Jesus, “I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where everyone assembles, and I never spoke of anything in secret.
21 So why are you questioning me? Ask the people who heard me what I told them. They know what I said.”
Why question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must know what I said.”
22 When he said this, one of the guards standing nearby slapped Jesus, saying, “Is that any way to speak to the high priest?”
When Jesus said this, one of the guards, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. “Do you answer the high priest like that?” he exclaimed.
23 Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, tell everyone what was wrong with it. But if what I said was right, why did you hit me?”
“If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it,” replied Jesus, “but if not, why do you strike me?”
24 Annas sent him, his hands still tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself by the fire, the people there asked him, “Aren't you one of his disciples?” Peter denied it and said, “No, I'm not.”
Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing there, warming himself; so they said to him, “Aren’t you also one of his disciples?” Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said.
26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked Peter, “Didn't I see you in the olive grove with him?”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, exclaimed, “Didn’t I myself see you with him in the garden?”
27 Peter denied it again, and immediately a cock crowed.
Peter again denied it; and at that moment a cock crowed.
28 Early in the morning they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. The Jewish leaders didn't enter the palace because if they did they would be ceremonially defiled, and they wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal.
From Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Government house. It was early in the morning. But they did not enter the Government house themselves, otherwise they might become defiled, and so be unable to eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came out to meet them. “What charge are you bringing against this man?” he asked.
Therefore Pilate came outside to speak to them. “What charge do you bring against this man?” he asked.
30 “If he wasn't a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you,” they answered.
“If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you,” they answered.
31 “Then you take him and judge him according to your law,” Pilate told them. “We're not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews answered.
“Take him yourselves,” said Pilate, “and try him by your own Law.” “We have no power to put anyone to death,” the authorities replied –
32 This fulfilled what Jesus had said about how he would die.
in fulfillment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined to die.
33 Pilate went back into the governor's palace. He summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
After that, Pilate went into the Government house again, and calling Jesus up, asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Did you think of this question yourself, or did others talk to you about me?” Jesus responded.
“Do you ask me that yourself?” replied Jesus, “or did others say it to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate countered. “It was your own people and high priests who handed you over to me. What is it that you've done?”
“Do you take me for a Jew?” was Pilate’s answer. “It is your own nation and the chief priests who have given you up to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it was of this world, my subjects would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here.”
“My kingly power,” replied Jesus, “is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the authorities; but my kingly power is not from the world.”
37 Then Pilate asked, “So you are a king, then?” “You say that I'm a king,” Jesus replied. “The reason why I was born and I came to the world was to give evidence for the truth. All those who accept the truth pay attention to what I say.”
“So you are a king after all!” exclaimed Pilate. “Yes, it is true I am a king,” answered Jesus. “I was born for this, I have come into the world for this – to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to my voice.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Having said this Pilate went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find him not guilty of any crime.
“What is truth?” exclaimed Pilate. After saying this, he went out to the crowd again, and said, “For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged.
39 However, it is customary for me to release a prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?”
It is, however, the custom for me to grant you the release of one man at the Passover Festival. Do you wish for the release of the king of the Jews?”
40 “No, not him! We want Barabbas instead!” they shouted back. Barabbas was a rebel.
“No, not this man,” they shouted again, “but Barabbas!” This Barabbas was a robber.
