John 18
1 After Jesus finished praying, he went across the Kidron Brook, along with [us] disciples, to a grove [of olive trees].
When Jesus had said these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples.
2 Judas, who was [about to] enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him, knew that [he would probably be] there. [He knew that because] Jesus often gathered there with us.
And Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place; because Jesus had often resorted thither together with his disciples.
3 So Judas came to that grove. He was leading a troop of Roman [soldiers] and some Temple guards who had been sent by the Pharisees and chief priests. They were carrying torches and lamps and weapons.
Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to him. So [as they approached], he stepped forward and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said to them: Whom seek ye?
5 They replied to him, “Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” He replied, “That is who I am.” Judas, the one who was enabling his enemies to seize him, was with them.
They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them.
6 When Jesus told them, “That is who I am,” they lurched backward and fell down on the ground [because of his power].
As soon therefore as he had said to them: I am he; they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus, [the man] from Nazareth.”
Again therefore he asked them: Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus replied, “I told you that I am Jesus. So since I am the one you are looking for, allow these [disciples of mine] to go.”
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way.
9 [This happened] in order that [when they did what he asked them to do], the words would be fulfilled that he had prayed, “I will never lose any of those whom God has brought to me.”
That the word might be fulfilled which he said: Of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one.
10 Simon Peter had a [long] dagger. So he drew it and [tried to kill] the high priest’s servant, [but he only] cut off the man’s right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus.
11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword [back] into its sheath! (I must endure what [my] Father wants me to suffer./Do you not think that I must endure what [my] Father wants me to suffer?) [MET, RHQ]”
Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
12 Then the troop of soldiers, along with their commander and the Jewish Temple guards, seized Jesus. They tied his hands [behind his back].
Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him:
13 Then they took him first to Annas, [who was previously the high priest]. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the high priest that year.
And they led him away to Annas first, for he was father in law to Caiphas, who was the high priest of that year.
14 Caiaphas was the one who [previously] advised the Jewish [Council] that it would be better if one man died for the sake of the people [than for all the people of the Jewish nation to die].
Now Caiphas was he who had given the counsel to the Jews: That it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 Simon Peter and [I] were following Jesus. Because the high priest knew [me], [his doorkeeper permitted me] to enter the courtyard.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. And that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest.
16 But Peter [had to] wait outside near the doorway. However, since I knew the high priest, I went back to the doorway and spoke to the girl who was guarding the entrance. Then [she allowed] Peter to come in.
But Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore, who was known to the high priest, went out, and spoke to the portress, and brought in Peter.
17 The servant girl who was guarding the doorway said to Peter, “Surely you are not another disciple of that man [they have arrested], are you?” He said, “I am not.”
The maid therefore that was portress, saith to Peter: Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith: I am not.
18 It was cold, so the high priest’s slaves and Temple guards made a charcoal fire and were standing around it to keep warm. Peter was also standing near it, warming himself.
Now the servants and ministers stood at a fire of coals, because it was cold, and warmed themselves. And with them was Peter also, standing, and warming himself.
19 [While Peter was doing that], the high priest asked Jesus about his disciples and about what he was teaching people.
The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
20 Jesus replied, “I have always spoken where many people [MTY, HYP] could hear me. I have taught them in (the synagogues/their meeting places) and in the Temple courtyard, in places where many [HYP] Jews come together. I have spoken nothing secretly.
Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world: I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort; and in secret I have spoken nothing.
21 [So] (why are you asking me questions [like this illegally]?/you should not be asking me questions [like this illegally]!) [RHQ] Ask the people who heard what I taught! They certainly know what I said!”
Why asketh thou me? ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them: behold they know what things I have said.
22 After Jesus said that, one of the Temple guards standing near him slapped him on his face. He said, “(That is not the way you should answer the high priest!/Is that the way you should answer the high priest?) [RHQ]”
And when he had said these things, one of the servants standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying: Answerest thou the high priest so?
23 Jesus replied to him, “If I said something that was contrary [to your laws], you could tell [me that what I said that] was wrong. But because I said only what was right, (you should not be striking me!/why are you striking me?) [RHQ]”
Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou me?
24 Then after Jesus’ hands were tied {after they tied Jesus hands} [again], Annas sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high priest.
25 As Simon Peter was standing warming himself [at the fire], someone else said to him, “You are not one of that man’s disciples, are you?” He denied [that he was], and said, “I am not.”
And Simon Peter was standing, and warming himself. They said therefore to him: Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said: I am not.
26 [Later] one of the high priest’s servants, a man who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off [before], said to him, “I saw you with that man in the grove [of olive trees], did I not?”
One of the servants of the high priest (a kinsman to him whose ear Peter cut off) saith to him: Did I not see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter again denied it. Immediately a rooster crowed, [as Jesus had said would happen].
Again therefore Peter denied; and immediately the cock crew.
28 Then the [Jewish leaders] [SYN] led Jesus from the [home of] Caiaphas to the headquarters [of Pilate, the Roman governor]. It was before dawn. [Pilate was a non-Jew], [and they thought that if they entered his headquarters], they would become unacceptable to God {God would reject them}, [and as a result] they would not be able to eat [the food during] the Passover [celebration]. [Because of that, they did not want to enter Pilate’s headquarters].
Then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor’s hall. And it was morning; and they went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch.
29 So Pilate came out to [talk to] them. He said, “What law do you say that this man has disobeyed?”
Pilate therefore went out to them, and said: What accusation bring you against this man?
30 [They knew that Jesus had not disobeyed any Roman law, so they did not want to answer him. Instead], they said, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you!”
They answered, and said to him: If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to thee.
31 Then Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your own laws!” Then the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] said, “[No! We want him executed, but we want you Romans to execute him, because] we Jews have no right to execute anyone!”
Pilate therefore said to them: Take him you, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death;
32 [The Romans executed people by nailing them to a cross]. [So], as a result of what [the Jewish leaders said], it was fulfilled {[the Romans] would fulfill} what Jesus had said previously about the way he was going to die.
That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he said, signifying what death he should die.
33 Pilate then went back inside his headquarters. He summoned Jesus. [Because the Jewish leaders had said that Jesus claimed to be a king], Pilate said to Jesus [scornfully], “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews?
34 Jesus replied, “Are you asking that because you yourself [want to know if I claim to be a king], or because (someone else/Caiaphas) said [that I claim to be their king]?”
Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me?
35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, [so] ([I cannot understand these matters!/how can I understand these matters]?) [RHQ] It was your fellow Jews and your chief priests who brought you to me! What have you done [to make them want to execute you]?”
Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesus replied, “It is not people in [MTY] this world who are [making me] king. If it was people in this world who were making me a king, my disciples would have fought in order that the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] would be prevented {to prevent the Jewish [leaders] [SYN]} from seizing me. But it is not [someone here in] this world who is making me a king.”
Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence.
37 Then Pilate said to him, “So [are you saying that] you are a king?” Jesus replied, “[Yes], what you have said about my being a king [is correct]. I was born to become a king, and I came into this world to tell people the truth [about God]. Everyone who [believes] the truth pays attention to what I say.”
Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.
38 Pilate said to him, “[How can anyone know] what the truth is?” After he said that, he went outside and talked to the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] again. He said to them, “I do not find that he has done anything at all for which I should punish him.
Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him.
39 But you [Jews] customarily, [every year] during the Passover [celebration], ask me to release for you [someone who is in prison]. So would you like for me to release for you the [man who you] Jews [say is your] king?”
But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the pasch: will you, therefore, that I release unto you the king of the Jews?
40 They shouted again, “No, do not [release] this man! Instead, [release] Barrabas!” But Barrabas was [in prison because he was] a revolutionist!
Then cried they all again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
