JohnChapter 18

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¹When Jesus had finished praying, he left with his disciples. They crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and they went into it. ²Judas, the one who betrayed him, also knew the place. Jesus had often met there with his disciples. ³So Judas brought a group of soldiers there. He also brought some officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They came to the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he stepped forward and asked them, "Who are you looking for?" ⁵"Jesus of Nazareth," they answered. Jesus said, "I am he." Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them. ⁶When Jesus said, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. ⁷So he asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they said. ⁸Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go." ⁹This happened so that the words he had spoken would come true: "I have not lost one of the people you gave me." ¹⁰Then Simon Peter pulled out his sword. He struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. ¹¹Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword away! Shouldn't I drink the cup the Father has given me?" ¹²Then the soldiers, their commander, and the Jewish officers arrested Jesus. They tied him up. ¹³They took him first to Annas. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ¹⁴Caiaphas was the one who had told the Jews it would be better if one man died for the people. ¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. The high priest knew that other disciple. So he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard. ¹⁶But Peter had to stand outside at the door. So the other disciple, the one the high priest knew, came back out. He spoke to the girl at the door and brought Peter in. ¹⁷The servant girl at the door asked Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples too?" "I am not," he answered. ¹⁸It was cold. The servants and officers had made a fire of charcoal to keep warm. They stood around it. Peter was standing with them, warming himself too. ¹⁹Meanwhile, the high priest asked Jesus questions about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus answered. "I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple. All the Jews come together there. I said nothing in secret. ²¹Why are you asking me? Ask the people who heard me. They know what I said." ²²When Jesus said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped him in the face. "Is that how you answer the high priest?" he asked. ²³Jesus answered, "If I said something wrong, tell everyone what was wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you hit me?" ²⁴Then Annas sent Jesus, still tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest. ²⁵Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, "Aren't you one of his disciples too?" He said no. "I am not," he said. ²⁶One of the high priest's servants was there. He was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He asked Peter, "Didn't I see you with him in the garden?" ²⁷Again Peter said no. And right then a rooster crowed. ²⁸Then the Jews took Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was now early morning. The Jews did not go into the Praetorium. They did not want to become unclean, because then they could not eat the Passover meal.a ²⁹So Pilate came out to them. He asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" ³⁰They answered, "If he weren't a criminal, we wouldn't have handed him over to you." ³¹Pilate told them, "You take him. Judge him by your own law." The Jews answered, "We aren't allowed to put anyone to death." ³²This happened to make Jesus' words come true. He had said what kind of death he was going to die. ³³Pilate went back into the Praetorium. He called Jesus to him and asked, "Are you the King of the Jews?" ³⁴Jesus asked, "Is that your own idea? Or did others tell you about me?" ³⁵Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" ³⁶Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight. They would keep the Jews from arresting me. But my kingdom is not from this place." ³⁷"So you are a king!" Pilate said. Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. I was born for this reason. I came into the world to tell about the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." ³⁸"What is truth?" Pilate asked. After he said this, he went out to the Jews again. He told them, "I find no reason to charge him with a crime. ³⁹But you have a custom. Each year at the Passover I set one prisoner free for you. So do you want me to set free the King of the Jews?" ⁴⁰They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" (Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.)