John 18

¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples.

²Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples.

³Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, Whom seek ye?

⁵They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

⁶When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

⁷Again therefore he asked them, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

⁸Jesus answered, I told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

⁹that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, Of those whom thou hast given me I lost not one.

¹⁰Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant’s name was Malchus.

¹¹Jesus therefore said unto Peter, Put up the sword into the sheath: the cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

¹²So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,

¹³and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

¹⁴Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

¹⁵And Simon Peter followed Jesus, andso didanother disciple. Now that disciple was known unto the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest;

¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door without. So the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

¹⁷The maid therefore that kept the door saith unto Peter, Art thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

¹⁸Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals; for it was cold; and they were warming themselves: and Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teaching.

²⁰Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing.

²¹Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: behold, these know the things which I said.

²²And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

²³Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

²⁴Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore unto him, Art thou also one of his disciples? He denied, and said, I am not.

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

²⁷Peter therefore denied again: and straightway the cock crew.

²⁸They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Prætorium: and it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Prætorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover.

²⁹Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this man?

³⁰They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee.

³¹Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

³²that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die.

³³Pilate therefore entered again into the Prætorium, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

³⁴Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?

³⁵Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

³⁶Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

³⁷Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

³⁸Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him.

³⁹But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

⁴⁰They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

John 18

¹After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.

²Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

³So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?”

⁵“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.

⁶When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.

⁸“I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”

⁹This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”

¹⁰Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

¹¹“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”

¹²Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.

¹³They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

¹⁴Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.

¹⁵Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.

¹⁶But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

¹⁷At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered.

¹⁸Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Peter was also standing with them, warming himself.

¹⁹Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.

²⁰“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

²¹Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”

²²When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”

²³Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”

²⁴Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”

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

²⁷Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.

²⁸Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

²⁹So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”

³¹“You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.

³²This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.

³³Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴“Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”

³⁶Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”

³⁷“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”

³⁸“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.

³⁹But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)