John 18:1–24

Jesus Arrested

18:3–11pp—Mt 26:47–56; Mk 14:43–50; Lk 22:47–53

18When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley.ⁱ On the other side there was a garden,^j and he and his disciples went into it.^k

²Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.^{l 3}So Judas came to the garden, guiding^m a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees.ⁿ They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

⁴Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him,^o went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”^p

⁵“Jesus of Nazareth,”^q they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ⁶When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”^r

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

⁸Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” ⁹This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”^as

¹⁰Then 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.)

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

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

Peter’s First Denial

18:16–18pp—Mt 26:69,70; Mk 14:66–68; Lk 22:55–57

¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest,^x he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,^{y 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.”^z

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

The High Priest Questions Jesus

18:19–24pp—Mt 26:59–68; Mk 14:55–65; Lk 22:63–71

¹⁹Meanwhile, 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^c or at the temple,^d where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.^{e 21}Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²²When Jesus said this, one of the officials^f nearby slapped him in the face.^g “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?”^{h 24}Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphasⁱ the high priest.