John 18

Jesus Is Arrested

(Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–54a)

1After Jesus finished his prayer, he went with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley. They entered the garden that was there.

2Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples often gathered there. 3So Judas took a troop of soldiers and the guards from the chief priests and Pharisees and went to the garden. They were carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went to meet them and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

5They answered him, “Jesus from Nazareth.”

Jesus told them, “I am he.”

Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with the crowd. 6When Jesus told them, “I am he,” the crowd backed away and fell to the ground.

7Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?”

They said, “Jesus from Nazareth.”

8Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go.” 9In this way what Jesus had said came true: “I lost none of those you gave me.”

10Simon Peter had a sword. He drew it, attacked the chief priest’s servant, and cut off the servant’s right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away. Shouldn’t I drink the cup ⌞of suffering⌟ that my Father has given me?”

12Then the army officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus. They tied Jesus up 13and took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas, the chief priest that year, 14was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus

(Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:54b–62)

15Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. The other disciple was well-known to the chief priest. So that disciple went with Jesus into the chief priest’s courtyard. 16Peter, however, was standing outside the gate. The other disciple talked to the woman who was the gatekeeper and brought Peter into the courtyard.

17The gatekeeper asked Peter, “Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples too?”

Peter answered, “No, I’m not!”

18The servants and the guards were standing around a fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was standing there, too, and warming himself with the others.

The Chief Priest Questions Jesus

19The chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings.

20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken publicly for everyone to hear. I have always taught in synagogues or in the temple courtyard, where all the Jews gather. I haven’t said anything in secret. 21Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said to them. They know what I’ve said.”

22When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing near Jesus slapped his face and said, “Is that how you answer the chief priest?”

23Jesus replied to him, “If I’ve said anything wrong, tell me what it was. But if I’ve told the truth, why do you hit me?”

24Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the chief priest. Jesus was still tied up.

Peter Denies Jesus Again

(Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:54b–62)

25Simon Peter continued to stand and warm himself by the fire. Some men asked him, “Aren’t you, too, one of his disciples?”

Peter denied it by saying, “No, I’m not!”

26One of the chief priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, “Didn’t I see you with Jesus in the garden?”

27Peter again denied it, and just then a rooster crowed.

Pilate Questions Jesus

(Matthew 27:11–14; Mark 15:1–5; Luke 23:1–4)

28Early in the morning, Jesus was taken from Caiaphas’ house to the governor’s palace.

The Jews wouldn’t go into the palace. They didn’t want to become unclean,#18:28 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God. since they wanted to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What accusation are you making against this man?”

30The Jews answered Pilate, “If he weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

31Pilate told the Jews, “Take him, and try him by your law.”

The Jews answered him, “We’re not allowed to execute anyone.” 32In this way what Jesus had predicted about how he would die came true.

33Pilate went back into the palace, called for Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34Jesus replied, “Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about me?”

35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn’t have its origin on earth.”

37Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?”

Jesus replied, “You’re correct in saying that I’m a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”

38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I don’t find this man guilty of anything. 39You have a custom that I should free one person for you at Passover. Would you like me to free the king of the Jews for you?”

40The Jews shouted again, “Don’t free this man! Free Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a political revolutionary.)

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