John 18:25–40

Peter Denies Jesus Again

^25mNow Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not 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 ⁿthe man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you ^oin the garden with him?” ²⁷Peter again denied it, and ^pat once a rooster crowed.

Jesus Before Pilate

^28qThen they led Jesus ^rfrom the house of Caiaphas to ^sthe governor’s headquarters.⁶ It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, ^tso that they would not be defiled, ^ubut could eat the Passover. ^29vSo Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” ³⁰They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” ³¹Pilate said to them, ^w“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” ^32xThis was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken ^yto show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

^33zSo Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ^a“Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶Jesus answered, ^b“My kingdom ^cis not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, ^dmy servants would have been fighting, that ^eI might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, ^f“You say that I am a king. ^gFor this purpose I was born and for this purpose ^hI have come into the world—ⁱto bear witness to the truth. ^jEveryone who is ^kof the truth ^llistens to my voice.” ³⁸Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, ^mhe went back outside to the Jews and told them, ⁿ“I find no guilt in him. ^39oBut you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰They cried out again, ^p“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.⁷