< John 18 >
1 After he had spoken these words Jesus went forth with his disciples to a place across the Ravine of the Cedars, where there was a garden into which he and his disciples went.
2 Judas the Traitor also knew this place; for Jesus and his disciples often met there.
3 So after getting troops and some Temple police from the chief priests and Pharisees, Judas came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon him, went forth to meet them, and asked them, "Who is it that you are looking for?"
5 "For Jesus of Nazareth," they answered. He said to them, "I am he." (Now Judas also, the betrayer, was standing with them.)
6 When Jesus said "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground;
7 so he asked them once more, "Whom are you looking for?" and they replied, "Jesus of Nazareth."
8 "I have already told you that I am he," said Jesus. "If, then, you are looking for me, let these go their way."
9 "(In order that the word which he had spoken might be fulfilled, "Of those whom thou hast given me I have not lost one.")
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, and striking at the high priest’s slave, cut off his right ear.
11 (The slave’s name was Malchus.) Then Jesus said to Peter. "Put up your sword in its sheath. the cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?"
12 So the troops and their commandant and the Jewish police took Jesus, and bound him,
13 and led him to Annas first. (For Annas was the Father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year -
14 the Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was for their advantage that one man should die for the people.)
15 Meanwhile Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple who was known to the high priest, and they went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest’s palace.
16 But Peter took his stand outside, near the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest came out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.
17 The doorkeeper (a maid servant) then said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man’s disciples?" "No I am not," he answered.
18 Now the slaves and the attendants were standing and warming themselves about a charcoal fire, which they had made because it was cold; and Peter also stood with them, and was warming himself.
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
20 Jesus answered him. "I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple, places where all the Jews are wont to assemble, and in secret I have spoken nothing.
21 "Why do you question me? Ask those who heard what I have said to them; these witnesses here know what I said."
22 When he had spoken these words, one of the police standing by gave him a blow with his hand, saying as he did so, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?"
23 Jesus replied "If I have said anything wrong, give evidence concerning the wrong; but if I said what was true, why do you strike me?"
24 Then Annas sent him in chains to Caiaphas, the high priest.
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, "You are not also one of his disciples, are you not?" He denied it, saying "I am not."
26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did not I myself see you with him in the garden."
27 Peter again denied it; and at that very moment a cock crew.
28 From the house of Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Praetorium, and it was dawn. They themselves would not enter the Praetorium, in order that they might not be ceremonially defiled, but might be able to eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came outside to them and asked, "What charge do you bring against this man?"
30 In reply they said, "If he had not been a criminal, we should not have handed him over you."
31 "Take him yourselves," answered Pilate, "and judge him according to your law."
32 The Jews answered him, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death" (that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled in which he predicted the kind of death he was to die).
33 So Pilate went into the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus. "Are you the King of the Jews?" he said.
34 Jesus answered, "Are you saying this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?"
35 "I am not a Jew, am I?" replied Pilate; "It is your own nation and the high priests who have handed you over to me. What have you done?"
36 Jesus answered him. "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants have fought hard that I should not be handed the Jews; but in reality my kingdom is not of such origins."
37 "You are a king, then? You!" said Pilate. "You say truly that I am a king." answered Jesus, "for this purpose I was born, and to this end came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Every man who is of the truth listens to my voice."
38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" As he said this, he went outside again to the Jews and said to them.
39 "I find no crime in this man. Now it is a custom of yours that I release one prisoner to you at the time of the Passover feast. Do you wish me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
40 Then they all shouted again. "No, not him! Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.
