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 this, he went out with his disciples and crossed the brook Kedron to a place where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples went.
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.
The place was well known to Judas, the betrayer, for Jesus and his disciples had often met there.
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, who had obtained the soldiers of the Roman garrison, and some police-officers from the Chief Priests and the 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?”
Jesus, aware of all that was coming upon him, went to meet them, and said to them: “For whom are you looking?”
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.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” was their answer. “I am he,” said Jesus. (Judas, the 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].
When Jesus said ‘I am he,’ 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.”
So he again asked for whom they were looking, and they answered: “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.”
“I have already told you that I am he,” replied Jesus, “so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these men 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.”
This was in fulfilment of his words — ‘Of those whom thou hast given me I have not lost 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.
At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, 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]”
But Jesus said to Peter: “Sheathe your sword. Shall I not drink the cup which the 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].
So the soldiers of the garrison, with their Commanding Officer and the Jewish police, 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.
and took him first of all to Annas. Annas 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 had counselled the Jews, that it was best 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.
Meanwhile Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the High Priest, went with Jesus into the High Priest’s court-yard,
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.
while Peter stood outside by the door. Presently the other disciple — the one well-known to the High Priest — went out and spoke to the portress, 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 maidservant said to Peter: “Are not you also one of this man’s disciples?” “No, I am not,” he said.
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.
The servants and police-officers were standing round a charcoal fire (which they had made because it was cold), and were warming themselves. Peter, too, was 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.
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.
“For my part,” answered Jesus, “I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some Synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of anything 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 question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must 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 Jesus said this, one of the police-officers, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. “Do you answer the High Priest like that?” he exclaimed.
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]”
“If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it,” replied Jesus; “but if not, why do you strike me?”
24 Then after Jesus’ hands were tied {after they tied Jesus hands} [again], Annas sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Annas 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.”
Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing there, warming himself; so they said to him: “Are not you also one of his disciples?” Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said.
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 High Priest’s servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, exclaimed: “Did not I myself see you with him in the garden?”
27 Peter again denied it. Immediately a rooster crowed, [as Jesus had said would happen].
Peter again denied it; and at that moment a cock 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].
From Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Government House. It was early in the morning. But they did not enter the Government House themselves, lest they should become ‘defiled,’ and so be unable to eat the Passover.
29 So Pilate came out to [talk to] them. He said, “What law do you say that this man has disobeyed?”
Therefore Pilate came outside to speak to them. “What charge do you bring against this man?” he asked.
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!”
“If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you,” they answered.
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!”
“Take him yourselves,” said Pilate, “and try him by your own Law.” “We have no power to put any one to death,” the Jews replied —
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.
In fulfilment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined 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?”
After that, Pilate went into the Government House again, and calling Jesus up, 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]?”
“Do you ask me that yourself?” replied Jesus, “or did others say it to 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]?”
“Do you take me for a Jew?” was Pilate’s answer. “It is your own nation and the Chief Priests who have given you up 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.”
“My kingly power,” replied Jesus, “is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the Jews; but my kingly power is not from the world.”
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 you are a King after all!” exclaimed Pilate. “Yes, it is true I am a King,” answered Jesus. “I was born for this, I have come into the world for this — to bear testimony to the Truth. Every one who is on the side of 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?” exclaimed Pilate. After saying this, he went out to the Jews again, and said: “For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged.
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?”
It is, however, the custom for me to grant you the release of one man at the Passover Festival. Do you wish for the release of 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!
“No, not this man,” they shouted again, “but Barabbas!” This Barabbas was a robber.
