John 18:1–14

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.