Chapter 18

¹Jesus, having said these things, went out with his disciples beyond the torrent Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, he and his disciples. ²And Judas also, who delivered him up, knew the place, because Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples. ³Judas therefore, having got the band, and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all things that were coming upon him, went forth and said to them, Whom seek ye? ⁵They answered him, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am [he]. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them. ⁶When therefore he said to them, I am [he], they went away backward and fell to the ground. ⁷He demanded of them therefore again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus the Nazaraean. ⁸Jesus answered, I told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go away; ⁹that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, [As to] those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them. ¹⁰Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and smote the bondman of the high priest and cut off his right ear; and the bondman`s name was Malchus. ¹¹Jesus therefore said to Peter, Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it? ¹²The band therefore, and the chiliarch, and the officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him: ¹³and they led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴But it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews that it was better that one man should perish for the people. ¹⁵Now Simon Peter followed Jesus, and the other disciple. But that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest; ¹⁶but Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the porteress and brought in Peter. ¹⁷The maid therefore, who was porteress, says to Peter, Art thou also of the disciples of this man? He says, I am not. ¹⁸But the bondmen and officers, having made a fire of coals (for it was cold), stood and warmed themselves; and Peter was standing with them and warming himself. ¹⁹The high priest therefore demanded of Jesus concerning his disciples and concerning his doctrine. ²⁰Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I taught always in [the] synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have spoken nothing. ²¹Why demandest thou of me? Demand of those who have heard, what I have spoken to them; behold, they know what I have said. ²²But as he said these things, one of the officers who stood by gave a blow on the face to Jesus, saying, Answerest thou the high priest thus? ²³Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? ²⁴Annas [then] had sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. ²⁵But Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, Art thou also of his disciples? He denied, and said, I am not. ²⁶One of the bondmen of the high priest, who was kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, says, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? ²⁷Peter denied therefore again, and immediately [the] cock crew. ²⁸They lead therefore Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium; and it was early morn. And they entered not into the praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but eat the passover. ²⁹Pilate therefore went out to them and said, What accusation do ye bring against this man? ³⁰They answered and said to him, If this [man] were not an evildoer, we should not have delivered him up to thee. ³¹Pilate therefore said to them, Take him, ye, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not permitted to us to put any one to death; ³²that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spoke, signifying what death he should die. ³³Pilate therefore entered again into the praetorium and called Jesus, and said to him, Thou art the king of the Jews? ³⁴Jesus answered [him], Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others said it to thee concerning me? ³⁵Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thy nation and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? ³⁶Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants had fought that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence. ³⁷Pilate therefore said to him, Thou art then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest [it], that I am a king. I have been born for this, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. ³⁸Pilate says to him, What is truth? And having said this he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, I find no fault whatever in him. ³⁹But ye have a custom that I release [some] one to you at the passover; will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews? ⁴⁰They cried therefore again all, saying, Not this [man], but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.