Chapter 18

Judas Betrays Jesus

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, aHe went forth with His disciples over bthe 1ravine of the Kidron, where there was ca garden, in which He entered 2with His disciples.

2 Now Judas also, who was 1betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had aoften met there with His disciples.

3 aJudas then, having received bthe Roman 1cohort and cofficers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, * came there with lanterns and dtorches and weapons.

4 So Jesus, aknowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and * said to them, “bWhom do you seek?”

5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He * said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

6 So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Therefore He again asked them, “aWhom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,”

9 to fulfill the word which He spoke, “aOf those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

10 Simon Peter then, ahaving a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; athe cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Jesus before the Priests

12 aSo bthe Roman 1cohort and the 2commander and the bofficers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him,

13 and led Him to aAnnas first; for he was father-in-law of bCaiaphas, who was high priest that year.

14 Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that ait was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people.

15 aSimon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into bthe court of the high priest,

16 abut Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

17 aThen the slave-girl who kept the door * said to Peter, “bYou are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He * said, “I am not.”

18 Now the slaves and the aofficers were standing there, having made ba charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were cwarming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

19 aThe high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.

20 Jesus answered him, “I ahave spoken openly to the world; I always btaught in 1synagogues and cin the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

21 “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

22 When He had said this, one of the aofficers standing nearby bstruck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

23 aJesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

24 aSo Annas sent Him bound to aCaiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

25 aNow bSimon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “cYou are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one awhose ear Peter cut off, * said, “Did I not see you in bthe garden with Him?”

27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately aa rooster crowed.

Jesus before Pilate

28 aThen they * led Jesus from bCaiaphas into cthe 1Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into cthe 1Praetorium so that dthey would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

29 aTherefore Pilate went out to them and * said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

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

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

32 to fulfill athe word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

33 Therefore Pilate aentered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “bAre You the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this 1on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”

36 Jesus answered, “aMy kingdom 1is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not 2of this realm.”

37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “aYou say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, bto testify to the truth. cEveryone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

38 Pilate * said to Him, “What is truth?”

And when he had said this, he awent out again to the Jews and * said to them, “bI find no guilt in Him.

39 “aBut you have a custom that I release someone 1for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release 1for you the King of the Jews?”

40 So they cried out again, saying, “aNot this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.