Chapter 18

¹When Jesus had said this, he went out with his disciples to the other side of the Ravine of the Cedars where there was a garden, and he went into it with his disciples. ²Judas who betrayed him also knew the place, for Jesus often met his disciples there. ³So Judas got out the garrison and some attendants from the high priests and Pharisees, and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴Then Jesus, as he knew everything that was going to happen to him, came forward and said to them,

“Who is it you are looking for?”

⁵They answered,

“Jesus of Nazareth.”

He said to them,

“I am he.”

Judas who betrayed him was standing among them. ⁶When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷Then he asked them again,

“Who is it you are looking for?”

They said,

“Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁸Jesus answered,

“I have told you that I am he, so if you are looking for me, let these men go.” ⁹This was to fulfil the saying he had uttered, “I have not lost one of those whom you have given me.”

¹⁰Then Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it and struck at the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹Then Jesus said to Peter,

“Put your sword back into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has offered me?”

¹²So the garrison and the colonel and the attendants of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him, ¹³and they took him first to Annas. For he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was for their interest that one man should die for the people.

¹⁵But Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This other disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest, and he went on with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, ¹⁶while Peter stood outside at the door. So this other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman at the door and brought Peter in. ¹⁷The maid at the door said to Peter,

“Are you also one of this man’s disciples?”

He said,

“No, I am not.”

¹⁸As it was cold the slaves and attendants had made a charcoal fire, and stood about it warming themselves. And Peter also was among them, standing and warming himself.

¹⁹Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰Jesus answered,

“I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues or in the Temple where all the Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret. ²¹Why do you question me? Ask those who have heard me what it was that I said to them. They will know what I have said.”

²²When he said this, one of the attendants who stood near struck him and said,

“Is that the way you answer the high priest?”

²³Jesus replied,

“If I have said anything wrong, testify to it; but if what I have said is true, why do you strike me?”

²⁴So Annas sent him over still bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵But Simon Peter still stood warming himself. So they said to him,

“Are you also one of his disciples?”

He denied it and said,

“No, I am not.”

²⁶One of the high priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said,

“Did I not see you with him in the garden?”

²⁷Peter again denied it, and at that moment a cock crowed.

²⁸Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s house. It was early in the morning, and they would not go into the governor’s house themselves, to avoid being ceremonially defiled and to be able to eat the Passover supper. ²⁹So Pilate came outside to them, and said,

“What charge do you make against this man?”

³⁰They answered,

“If he were not a criminal, we would not have turned him over to you.”

³¹Pilate said to them,

“Take him yourselves, and try him by your law.”

The Jews said to him,

“We have no authority to put anyone to death.”

³²This was to fulfil what Jesus said when he declared how he was to die.

³³So Pilate went back into the governor’s house and called Jesus and said to him,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

³⁴Jesus answered,

“Did you think of that yourself, or has someone else said it to you about me?”

³⁵Pilate answered,

“Do you take me for a Jew? Your own people and the high priests handed you over to me. What offense have you committed?”

³⁶Jesus answered,

“My kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. If my kingdom were a kingdom of this world, my men would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom has no such origin.”

³⁷Pilate said to him,

“Then you are a king?”

Jesus answered,

“As you say, I am a king. It was for this that I was born and for this that I came to the world, to give testimony for truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to my voice.”

³⁸Pilate said to him,

“What is truth!”

With these words he went outside again to the Jews, and said to them,

“I can find nothing to charge him with. ³⁹But it is your custom to have me release one man for you at Passover time. Do you want me therefore to release the king of the Jews for you?”

⁴⁰Then they shouted back,

“No! Not him, but Barabbas!”

Now Barabbas was a robber.