John 18

The Arrest of Christ

Matt. 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53

18When Jesus had spoken these words, ^aHe went out with His disciples over ^bthe Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. ²And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; ^cfor Jesus often met there with His disciples. ^3dThen Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴Jesus therefore, ^eknowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

⁵They answered Him, ^f“Jesus ¹of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who ^gbetrayed Him, also stood with them. ⁶Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”

And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁸Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” ⁹that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, ^h“Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

¹⁰ⁱThen Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

¹¹So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink ^jthe cup which My Father has given Me?”

First Jewish Trial Before Annas

Matt. 26:69, 70; Mark 14:66–68; Luke 22:55–57

¹²Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. ¹³And ^kthey led Him away to ^lAnnas first, for he was the father-in-law of ^mCaiaphas who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ⁿNow it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was ²expedient that one man should die for the people.

^15oAnd Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did ^panother ³disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. ^16qBut Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”

He said, “I am ^rnot.”

¹⁸Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

¹⁹The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

²⁰Jesus answered him, ^s“I spoke openly to the world. I always taught ^tin synagogues and ^uin the temple, where ⁴the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. ²¹Why do you ask Me? Ask ^vthose who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”

²²And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by ^wstruck ⁵Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”

²³Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”

Second Jewish Trial Before Caiaphas

Matt. 26:57–68, 73–75; Mark 14:53–65, 70–72; Luke 22:59–65

^24xThen Annas sent Him bound to ^yCaiaphas the high priest.

²⁵Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. ^zTherefore they said to him, “You are not also 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 him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷Peter then denied again; and ^aimmediately a rooster crowed.

First Roman Trial Before Pilate

Matt. 27:2, 11–14; Mark 15:1–5; Luke 23:1–5

^28bThen they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. ^cBut they themselves did not go into the ⁶Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. ^29dPilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

³⁰They answered and said to him, “If He were not ⁷an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”

³¹Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.”

Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” ^32ethat the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, ^fsignifying by what death He would die.

^33gThen Pilate entered the ⁸Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

³⁵Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

^36hJesus answered, ⁱ“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

³⁷Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, ^jthat I should bear ^kwitness to the truth. Everyone who ^lis of the truth ^mhears My voice.”

³⁸Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ⁿ“I find no fault in Him at all.”

Second Roman Trial Before Pilate

Matt. 27:15–31; Mark 15:6–20; Luke 23:13–25

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

^40pThen they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” ^qNow Barabbas was a robber.