John18

¹When Jesus had spoken these words, He went away with His disciples across the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden which He entered with His disciples.

²Now Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

³So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

⁵They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

⁶Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.”

⁹This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

¹⁰Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”

¹²So the Roman cohort, the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him,

¹³and brought Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

¹⁴Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was in their best interest for one man to die in behalf of the people.

¹⁵Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest,

¹⁶but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

¹⁷Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

¹⁸Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.

²⁰Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret.

²¹Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.”

²²But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

²³Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

²⁴So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

²⁶One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

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

²⁸Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

²⁹Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?”

³⁰They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.”

³¹So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”

³²This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.

³³Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?”

³⁴Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?”

³⁶Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

³⁷Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

³⁸Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.

³⁹However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release for you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰So they shouted again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.