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 with His disciples across the Kidron ravine, where there was a garden, into 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, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had 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.
Then Judas, leading a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came 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?”
Therefore Jesus, knowing everything that would happen to Him, went forward and asked 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, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus told them, “I AM.” Judas, who betrayed Him, also 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].
Now when He told them, “I AM,” they drew back 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?” 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 told you that I AM. So, if you are looking for 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 saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “I have lost none of those who You gave me.”
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 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 told Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath! Shouldn’t I drink the cup that my Father has given me?”
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 of soldiers and their commander and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and tied Him up.
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 led Him away 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].
It was Caiaphas who 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.
Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Since the high priest knew that disciple, he entered with Jesus into the high priest’s court,
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 standing just outside the door. So the other disciple, who the high priest knew, went out and spoke to the woman who guarded the door, 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.”
Then the maidservant who kept the door asked Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples, too, are you?” He said, “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.
Because it was cold, the servants and the officers were standing there warming themselves, having made a charcoal fire. Peter was also with them, 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.
Then the high priest asked Jesus about His disciples and 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 always taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said 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 ask me? Ask those who have heard me to tell you what I told them. They certainly 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]”
When He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by hit Jesus with the palm of his hand, 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 have spoken evil, testify about the evil, but if I have spoken honestly, 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.
Then Annas sent Him, still 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.”
Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they asked him, “You aren’t one of His disciples, too, are you?” He denied it, saying, “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 man whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with Him?”
27 Peter again denied it. Immediately a rooster crowed, [as Jesus had said would happen].
Peter then denied it 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. It was early morning. They themselves didn’t go into the Praetorium, so that they wouldn’t be defiled, and so that they might eat the Passover supper.
29 So Pilate came out to [talk to] them. He said, “What law do you say that this man has disobeyed?”
So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges 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!”
They answered, “If this man wasn’t a criminal, we wouldn’t 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!”
Then Pilate told them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your Law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It’s illegal for us to put anyone 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.
This happened so that the words would be fulfilled which Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going 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, summoned Jesus, and asked 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, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this 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, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You 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 doesn’t belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, then my servants would be fighting to keep me from being delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, my kingdom isn’t 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.”
Pilate therefore asked Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You are right in saying that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify about the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to 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.
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. After asking this, he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against 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 someone to you at the Passover. Therefore you decide: 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 shouted back, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
