John 18
18
Jesus Is Arrested
(Mt. 26:47–56; Mk. 14:43–50; Lk. 22:47–53)
1When Jesus finished praying, he left with his followers and went across the Kidron Valley. He went into a garden there, his followers still with him.
2Judas, the one responsible for handing Jesus over, knew where this place was. He knew because Jesus often met there with his followers. 3So Judas led a group of soldiers to the garden, along with some guards from the leading priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.
4Jesus already knew everything that would happen to him. So he went out and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”
5They answered, “Jesus from Nazareth.”
He said, “I am Jesus.”#18:5 “I am Jesus” Literally, “I am,” which could have the same meaning here that it has in 8:24, 28, 58; 13:19. Also in verse 8. (Judas, the one responsible for handing Jesus over, was standing there with them.) 6When Jesus said, “I am Jesus,” the men moved back and fell to the ground.
7He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”
They said, “Jesus from Nazareth.”
8Jesus said, “I told you that I am Jesus. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go free.” 9This was to show the truth of what Jesus said earlier: “I have not lost anyone you gave me.”
10Simon Peter had a sword, which he pulled out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! I must drink from the cup#18:11 cup A symbol of suffering. Jesus used the idea of drinking from a cup to mean accepting the suffering he would face in the terrible events that were soon to come. the Father has given me.”
Jesus Is Brought Before Annas
(Mt. 26:57–58; Mk. 14:53–54; Lk. 22:54)
12Then the soldiers with their commander and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus. They tied him 13and brought him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the high priest that year. 14He was also the one who had told the other Jewish leaders that it would be better if one man died for all the people.
Peter Lies About Knowing Jesus
(Mt. 26:69–70; Mk. 14:66–68; Lk. 22:55–57)
15Simon Peter and another one of Jesus’ followers went with Jesus. This follower knew the high priest. So he went with Jesus into the yard of the high priest’s house. 16But Peter waited outside near the door. The follower who knew the high priest came back outside and spoke to the gatekeeper. Then he brought Peter inside. 17The girl at the gate said to Peter, “Are you also one of the followers of that man?”
Peter answered, “No, I am not!”
18It was cold, so the servants and guards had built a fire. They were standing around it, warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
(Mt. 26:59–66; Mk. 14:55–64; Lk. 22:66–71)
19The high priest asked Jesus questions about his followers and what he taught them. 20Jesus answered, “I have always spoken openly to all people. I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple area. All the Jews come together there. I never said anything in secret. 21So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said.”
22When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, “You should not talk to the high priest like that!”
23Jesus answered, “If I said something wrong, tell everyone here what was wrong. But if what I said is right, then why do you hit me?”
24So Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas the high priest. He was still tied.
Peter Lies Again
(Mt. 26:71–75; Mk. 14:69–72; Lk. 22:58–62)
25Simon Peter was standing at the fire, keeping himself warm. The other people said to Peter, “Aren’t you one of the followers of that man?”
Peter denied it. He said, “No, I am not.”
26One of the servants of the high priest was there. He was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. The servant said, “I think I saw you with him in the garden!”
27But again Peter said, “No, I was not with him!” As soon as he said this, a rooster crowed.
Jesus Is Brought Before Pilate
(Mt. 27:1–2, 11–31; Mk. 15:1–20; Lk. 23:1–25)
28Then the guards took Jesus from Caiaphas’ house to the Roman governor’s palace. It was early in the morning. The Jews there would not go inside the palace. They did not want to make themselves unclean,#18:28 unclean Going into a non-Jewish place would ruin the special cleansing the Jews did to make themselves fit for worship. See Jn. 11:55. because they wanted to eat the Passover meal. 29So Pilate went outside to them and asked, “What do you say this man has done wrong?”
30They answered, “He is a bad man. That is why we brought him to you.”
31Pilate said to them, “You take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
The Jewish leaders answered, “But your law does not allow us to punish anyone by killing them.” 32(This was to show the truth of what Jesus said about how he would die.)
33Then Pilate went back inside the palace. He called for Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34Jesus said, “Is that your own question, or did other people tell you about me?”
35Pilate said, “I’m not a Jew! It was your own people and their leading priests who brought you before me. What have you done wrong?”
36Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom is not an earthly one.”
37Pilate said, “So you are a king.”
Jesus answered, “You are right to say that I am a king. I was born for this: to tell people about the truth. That is why I came into the world. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”
38Pilate said, “What is truth?” Then he went out to the Jewish leaders again and said to them, “I can find nothing against this man. 39But it is one of your customs for me to free one prisoner to you at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to free this ‘king of the Jews’?”
40They shouted back, “No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!” (Barabbas was a rebel.)
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John 18: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
John 18
18
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
1When Jesus had spoken these words, #Matt. 26:30, 36; Mark 14:26, 32; Luke 22:39He went out with His disciples over #2 Sam. 15:23; 1 Kin. 2:37; 15:13; 2 Kin. 23:4, 6, 12; 2 Chr. 15:16; 29:16; 30:14; Jer. 31:40the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; #Luke 21:37; 22:39for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3#Matt. 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–50; Luke 22:47–53; Acts 1:16Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4Jesus therefore, #John 6:64; 13:1, 3; 19:28knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5They answered Him, #Matt. 21:11; Mark 1:24; 14:67; 16:6; Luke 18:37; 24:19“Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who #Ps. 41:9; Matt. 20:18; 26:21; John 13:21betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, #(John 6:39; 17:12)“Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
10#Matt. 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:49, 50Then 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.
11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink #Matt. 20:22; 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42the cup which My Father has given Me?”
Before the High Priest
12Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13And #Matt. 26:57they led Him away to #Luke 3:2; John 18:24; Acts 4:6Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of #Matt. 26:3; John 11:49, 51Caiaphas who was high priest that year. 14#John 11:50Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Peter Denies Jesus
15#Matt. 26:58; Mark 14:54; Luke 22:54And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did #John 20:2–5another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16#Matt. 26:69; Mark 14:66–68; Luke 22:55–57But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am #Matt. 26:34not.”
18Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
Jesus Questioned by the High Priest
19The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.
20Jesus answered him, #Matt. 26:55; Luke 4:15; John 8:26“I spoke openly to the world. I always taught #John 6:59in synagogues and #Mark 14:49; John 7:14, 28in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. 21Why do you ask Me? Ask #Mark 12:37those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”
22And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by #Job 16:10; Is. 50:6; Jer. 20:2; Lam. 3:30; Acts 23:2struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”
23Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”
24#Matt. 26:57; Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6Then Annas sent Him bound to #John 11:49Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Twice More
25Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. #Matt. 26:71–75; Mark 14:69–72; Luke 22:58–62Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!”
26One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27Peter then denied again; and #Matt. 26:74; Mark 14:72; Luke 22:60; John 13:38immediately a rooster crowed.
In Pilate’s Court
28#Matt. 27:2; Mark 15:1; Luke 23:1; Acts 3:13Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. #John 11:55; Acts 10:28; 11:3But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. 29#Matt. 27:11–14; Mark 15:2–5; Luke 23:2, 3Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”
30They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”
31Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.”
Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” 32#Matt. 20:17–19; 26:2; Mark 10:33; Luke 18:32that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, #John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 33signifying by what death He would die.
33#Matt. 27:11Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
34Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”
35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”
36#1 Tim. 6:13Jesus answered, #(Dan. 2:44; 7:14); Luke 12:14; John 6:15; 8:15“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
37Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, #(Matt. 5:17; 20:28; Luke 4:43; 12:49; 19:10; John 3:17; 9:39; 10:10; 12:47)that I should bear #Is. 55:4; Rev. 1:5witness to the truth. Everyone who #(John 14:6)is of the truth #John 8:47; 10:27; (1 John 3:19; 4:6)hears My voice.”
38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, #Is. 53:9; Matt. 27:24; Luke 23:4; John 19:4, 6; 1 Pet. 2:22–24“I find no fault in Him at all.
Taking the Place of Barabbas
39#Matt. 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; Luke 23:17–25“But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40#Is. 53:3; Acts 3:14Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” #Luke 23:19Now Barabbas was a robber.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.