18 By Christ’s power, whom Judas betrayeth, 6 the soldiers are cast down to the ground. 13 Christ is led to Annas, and from him to Caiaphas. 22, 23 His answer to the officer that smote him with a rod. 28 Being delivered to Pilate, 36 he declareth his kingdom.

When [a]Jesus had spoken these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook (A)Kidron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

And Judas which betrayed him knew also the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

(B)[b]Judas then, after he had received a band of men and officers of the high Priests, and of the Pharisees, came thither with lanterns and torches, and weapons.

[c]Then Jesus, knowing all things that should come unto him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. Now Judas also which betrayed him, stood with them.

As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went away backwards, and fell to the ground.

Then he asked them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

[d]Jesus answered, I said unto you, that I am he: therefore if ye seek me, let these go their way.

This was that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, (C)Of them which thou gavest me, have I lost none.

10 [e]Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and smote the high Priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servants name was Malchus.

11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: shall I not drink of the cup which my Father hath given me?

12 Then the band and the captain, and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.

13 [f]And led him away to (D)Annas first (for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high Priest that same year.)

14 (E)And Caiaphas was he, that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15 (F)[g]Now Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple, and that disciple was known of the high Priest: therefore he went in with Jesus into the hall of the high Priest.

16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out the other disciple which was known unto the high Priest, and spake to her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17 Then said the maid that kept the door, unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He said, I am not.

18 And the servants and officers stood there, which had made a fire of coals: for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter also stood among them, and warmed himself.

19 ¶ ([h]The high Priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine,

20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world: I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple, whither the Jews resort continually, and in secret have I said nothing.

21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me what I said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

22 When he had spoken these things, one of the officers which stood by, smote Jesus with his rod, saying, Answerest thou the high Priest so?

23 Jesus answered him, If I have evil spoken, bear witness of the evil: but if I have well spoken, why smitest thou me?

24 (G)Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high Priest.)

25 (H)[i]And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, and they said unto him, Art not thou also of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

26 One of the servants of the high Priest, his cousin whose ear Peter smote off, said, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

27 Peter then denied again, and immediately the cock crew.

28 (I)[j]Then led they Jesus from [k]Caiaphas into the common hall. Now it was morning, and they themselves went not into the common hall, lest they should be (J)defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.

29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

30 They answered, and said unto him, If he were not an evil doer, we would not have delivered him unto thee.

31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him after your own Law. Then the Jews said unto him, [l]It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.

32 It was that the word of Jesus (K)might be fulfilled which he spake, [m]signifying what death he should die.

33 (L)So Pilate entered into the common hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the king of the Jews?

34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou that of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation, and the high Priest have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?

36 [n]Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would surely fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

37 Pilate then said unto him, Art thou a King then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King: for this cause am I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth: everyone that is of the truth, heareth my voice.

38 [o]Pilate said unto him, [p]What is truth? And when he had said that, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in him no cause at all.

39 (M)But you have a custom that I should deliver you one loose at the Passover: will ye then that I loose unto you the King of the Jews?

40 (N)Then [q]cried they all again, saying, Not him, but Barabbas: now this Barabbas was a murderer.

Footnotes

  1. John 18:1 Christ goeth of his own accord into a garden, which his betrayer knew, to be taken: that by his obedience he might take away the sin that entered into the world by one man’s rebellion, and that in a garden.
  2. John 18:3 Christ, who was innocent, was taken as a wicked person, that we which are wicked might be let go as innocent.
  3. John 18:4 Christ’s person (but not his virtue) was bound of the adversaries, when and how he would.
  4. John 18:8 Christ doth not neglect the office of a good pastor, no not in his greatest danger.
  5. John 18:10 We ought to contain the zeal we bear to God, within the bounds of our vocation.
  6. John 18:13 Christ is brought before an earthly high Priest to be condemned for our blasphemies, that we might be acquitted of the everlasting high Priest himself.
  7. John 18:15 A lively example of the fragility of man even in the best, when they be once left to themselves.
  8. John 18:19 Christ defendeth his cause but slenderly, not that he would withdraw himself from death, but to show that he was condemned as an innocent.
  9. John 18:25 After that men have once fallen, they cannot only not lift themselves by their own strength, but also they fall more and more into worse, until they be raised up again, by a new virtue of God.
  10. John 18:28 The Son of God is brought before the judgment seat of an earthly and profane man, in whom there is found much less wickedness, than in the princes of the people of God: A lively image of the wrath of God against sin, and therewithal of his great mercy, and least of all, of his most severe judgment against the stubborn contemners of his grace when it is offered unto them.
  11. John 18:28 From Caiaphas’s house.
  12. John 18:31 For judgments of life and death were taken from them forty years before the destruction of the temple.
  13. John 18:32 For Christ had foretold that he should be crucified.
  14. John 18:36 Christ avoucheth his spiritual kingdom, but rejecteth a worldly.
  15. John 18:38 It was requisite that Christ should be pronounced innocent, but notwithstanding (in that that he took upon him our person) was to be condemned as a most wicked man.
  16. John 18:38 He speaketh this disdainfully and scoffingly, and not by way of asking a question.
  17. John 18:40 Word for word, made a great and foul voice.

Jesus Arrested(A)

18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.(B) On the other side there was a garden,(C) and he and his disciples went into it.(D)

Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.(E) So Judas came to the garden, guiding(F) a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.(G) They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him,(H) went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”(I)

“Jesus of Nazareth,”(J) they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”(K)

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[a](L)

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup(M) the Father has given me?”

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials(N) arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,(O) the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.(P)

Peter’s First Denial(Q)

15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest,(R) he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,(S) 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”(T)

18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire(U) they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.(V)

The High Priest Questions Jesus(W)

19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues(X) or at the temple,(Y) where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.(Z) 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials(AA) nearby slapped him in the face.(AB) “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”(AC) 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas(AD) the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials(AE)

25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself.(AF) So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “I am not.”(AG)

26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,(AH) challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?”(AI) 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.(AJ)

Jesus Before Pilate(AK)

28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.(AL) By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace,(AM) because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.(AN) 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.(AO)

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace,(AP) summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”(AQ)

34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

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

36 Jesus said, “My kingdom(AR) is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.(AS) But now my kingdom is from another place.”(AT)

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.(AU) Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”(AV)

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.(AW) 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. John 18:9 John 6:39