John 18

Jesus Gets Betrayed and Arrested

1 After Jesus said these things, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and He went in there with them.

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

3 So Judas came with a group of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen, stepped forward and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”

5 They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said, “I am He.” Judas, the one betraying Him, was standing there with them.

6 When Jesus said, “I am He,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.

7 So He asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

8 Jesus answered, “I told you I am He. So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”

9 This was to fulfill what He had said, that He did not lose any of those given to Him.

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword away. Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me,”

Jesus Taken to Trial

12 So the soldiers, the commander, and the officers arrested Jesus and tied Him up.

13 They led Him first to Annas, because he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better for one man to die for the people.

Peter Starts to Fold

15 Simon Peter was following Jesus, and another disciple too. That disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard,

16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple went out, spoke to the servant girl at the door, and brought Peter in.

17 Then the servant girl said to Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples too, are you,” He said, “I am not.”

18 The servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire because it was cold, and Peter was standing there warming himself with them.

Jesus Questioned by the Leaders

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

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

21 Why are you questioning Me, Ask the ones who heard Me, they know what I said.”

22 When He said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Jesus, saying, “Is that how You answer the high priest?”

23 Jesus answered, “If I spoke wrong, testify about the wrong, but if I spoke right, why are you hitting Me?”

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

Peter Denies Jesus Again

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

26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

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

Jesus Before Pilate

28 They led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters early in the morning, but they did not go inside so they would not be defiled and could still eat the Passover.

29 So Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”

30 They answered, “If He was not doing evil, we would not have handed Him over to you.”

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

32 to fulfill what Jesus had said about how He was going to die.

What Is Truth,

33 So Pilate went back inside and called Jesus and said, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

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

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

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it was, My servants would be fighting so I would not be handed over. But My kingdom is not from here.”

37 Pilate said, “So You are a king,” Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” After saying this, he went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in Him.”

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

39 “But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”

40 So they shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.