John 18

Chapter 18.

18 ¹After saying these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where a garden stood; he and his disciples entered it. ²Judas the betrayer knew the place too, since Jesus often gathered there with his disciples. ³So Judas came there with a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴So Jesus, knowing all that was coming on him, went out and said to them, "Who are you looking for?"

⁵They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I AM." Judas, his betrayer, stood with them. ^a a v5 Jesus speaks the divine name our Father gave Moses at the burning bush. The soldiers' reaction in the next verse — falling backward to the ground — shows they heard exactly what he claimed.

⁶When Jesus said to them, "I AM," they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷So he asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

⁸Jesus answered, "I told you I AM. So if you're looking for me, let these men go." ⁹This fulfilled Jesus's own word: "I have not lost a single one of those you gave me."

¹⁰So Simon Peter drew his sword, struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear—the servant named Malchus.

¹¹So Jesus told Peter, "Sheath your sword. Shouldn't I drink the cup my Father has given me?"

¹²Then the troops, their commander, and the Jewish officers seized Jesus and tied him up.

¹³They took him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, high priest that year. ¹⁴Caiaphas was the one who advised the Jews: better one man die for the people.

Peter Follows Into the Courtyard

¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That disciple was known to the high priest, so he entered with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, ¹⁶but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the servant girl who kept the door, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷The servant girl guarding the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I'm not."

¹⁸The servants and officers, feeling the cold, had lit a charcoal fire and stood warming themselves; Peter stood with them, warming himself.

Questioned in the Night

¹⁹The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

²⁰Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews gather. I said nothing in secret. ²¹Why ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said."

²²At this, one of the guards nearby slapped Jesus, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

²³Jesus answered him, "If I spoke wrongly, testify about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike me?"

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

Peter Denies Again

²⁵Simon Peter, meanwhile, stood warming himself. They said, "Aren't you also one of his disciples?" He denied it: "I'm not."

²⁶One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, asked, "Didn't I see you with him in the garden?"

²⁷Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Handed Over to Pilate

²⁸Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves didn't enter, so they wouldn't be made unclean but could eat the Passover. ²⁹So Pilate went out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?"

³⁰They answered him, "If this man weren't doing wrong, we wouldn't have handed him over to you."

³¹Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said, "We're not permitted to execute anyone."

³²This fulfilled the word Jesus had spoken, showing what kind of death he was about to die.

³³So Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and asked, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

³⁴Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about me?"

³⁵Pilate replied, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"

³⁶Jesus answered, "My kingdom isn't from this world. If it were, my servants would fight against my being handed to the Jews. But my kingdom isn't from here."

³⁷Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I'm a king. I was born for this, and I came into the world for this—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth hears my voice."

³⁸Pilate asked, "What is truth?" Then he went out to the Jews again and said, "I find nothing wrong in him.

³⁹But you have a custom: I release one man to you at Passover. So do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?"

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