John 18
1 After Jesus finished praying, he went across the Kidron Brook, along with [us] disciples, to a grove [of olive trees].
Having said these things Jesus went out with His disciples across the Kidron ravine, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.
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.
Now Judas, the one betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there 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.
So Judas, having received the detachment of soldiers and operatives from the chief priests and Pharisees, he arrives there with lanterns, 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?”
Then Jesus, knowing everything that was going to happen to Him, went forward and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”
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 the Natsorean.” Jesus says to them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, His betrayer, was also standing 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].
So when He 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.”
Then He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Natsorean.”
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 told you that I am he. So if it is me you are looking for, allow these men to go”
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.”
(so that the word that He spoke might be fulfilled, “Of those you have given me I did not lose even 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, struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name 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]”
So Jesus said to Peter: “Sheathe the sword! The cup that the Father has given me, must 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 detachment, the commander and the operatives of the Jews arrested 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.
They took Him to Annas first, because he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest 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 Caiaphas was the one who had advised 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.
Now Simon Peter kept following Jesus, as also the other disciple. Well that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went into the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
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 was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper (f), and brought Peter in.
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.”
So the servant girl, the doorkeeper, says to Peter, “You aren't one of this man's disciples too, are you?” He says, “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 operatives had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing there warming themselves. So Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
19 [While Peter was doing that], the high priest asked Jesus about his disciples and about what he was teaching people.
Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.
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 always taught in synagogue and temple, where the Jews always congregate, and I have spoken nothing in secret.
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 do you question me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them. Sure, they know what I 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]”
But upon His saying these things one of the operatives standing by slapped Jesus saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”
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 spoke wrongly, identify the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit me?”
24 Then after Jesus’ hands were tied {after they tied Jesus hands} [again], Annas sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
(Annas had sent Him bound to Caiaphas 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.”
Well Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You aren't one of His disciples too, are you?” So 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 relative of the one whose ear Peter had sliced, says, “Didn't I see you with Him in the garden?”
27 Peter again denied it. Immediately a rooster crowed, [as Jesus had said would happen].
So Peter denied again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
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 Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. They themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled but could eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came out to [talk to] them. He said, “What law do you say that this man has disobeyed?”
So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring 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!”
In reply they said to him, “If he were not an evil-doer we would not have handed him over to you.”
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!”
So Pilate said to them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” So the Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to execute anyone.”
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.
(This was to fulfill the statement that Jesus made, indicating what sort of death He was about to 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?”
Then Pilate went back into the Praetorium, called Jesus and said to Him, “Are you 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 him, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others inform you about 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 Him: “I'm not a Jew, am I? Your own nation, that is, the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you 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 subjects would fight so that I not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here.”
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.”
So Pilate said to Him, “You are a king then?” Jesus answered: “As you say, I am a king; for this I was born. And for this I came into the world, to testify to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears 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 says to Him, “What is truth?” Upon saying this he went out to the Jews again and says to them: “I find no crime in him at all.
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?”
Now we have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover; so do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?”
40 They shouted again, “No, do not [release] this man! Instead, [release] Barrabas!” But Barrabas was [in prison because he was] a revolutionist!
Then they all cried out saying, “Not this fellow, but Barabbas!” Well, Barabbas was a bandit!
