GodsWord - John - 18

18:1  After Jesus finished his prayer, he went with his disciples to the other side of the Kidron Valley. They entered the garden that was there.

18:2  Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples often gathered there.

18:3  So Judas took a troop of soldiers and the guards from the chief priests and Pharisees and went to the garden. They were carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

18:4  Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. So he went to meet them and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

18:5  They answered him, "Jesus from Nazareth." Jesus told them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with the crowd.

18:6  When Jesus told them, "I am he," the crowd backed away and fell to the ground.

18:7  Jesus asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus from Nazareth."

18:8  Jesus replied, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go."

18:9  In this way what Jesus had said came true: "I lost none of those you gave me."

18:10  Simon Peter had a sword. He drew it, attacked the chief priest's servant, and cut off the servant's right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

18:11  Jesus told Peter, "Put your sword away. Shouldn't I drink the cup of suffering that my Father has given me?"

18:12  Then the army officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus. They tied Jesus up

18:13  and took him first to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas, the chief priest that year,

18:14  was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

18:15  Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. The other disciple was well-known to the chief priest. So that disciple went with Jesus into the chief priest's courtyard.

18:16  Peter, however, was standing outside the gate. The other disciple talked to the woman who was the gatekeeper and brought Peter into the courtyard.

18:17  The gatekeeper asked Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples too?" Peter answered, "No, I'm not!"

18:18  The servants and the guards were standing around a fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was standing there, too, and warming himself with the others.

18:19  The chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings.

18:20  Jesus answered him, "I have spoken publicly for everyone to hear. I have always taught in synagogues or in the temple courtyard, where all the Jews gather. I haven't said anything in secret.

18:21  Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said to them. They know what I've said."

18:22  When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing near Jesus slapped his face and said, "Is that how you answer the chief priest?"

18:23  Jesus replied to him, "If I've said anything wrong, tell me what it was. But if I've told the truth, why do you hit me?"

18:24  Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the chief priest. Jesus was still tied up.

18:25  Simon Peter continued to stand and warm himself by the fire. Some men asked him, "Aren't you, too, one of his disciples?" Peter denied it by saying, "No, I'm not!"

18:26  One of the chief priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, "Didn't I see you with Jesus in the garden?"

18:27  Peter again denied it, and just then a rooster crowed.

18:28  Early in the morning, Jesus was taken from Caiaphas' house to the governor's palace. The Jews wouldn't go into the palace. They didn't want to become unclean, since they wanted to eat the Passover.

18:29  So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What accusation are you making against this man?"

18:30  The Jews answered Pilate, "If he weren't a criminal, we wouldn't have handed him over to you."

18:31  Pilate told the Jews, "Take him, and try him by your law." The Jews answered him, "We're not allowed to execute anyone."

18:32  In this way what Jesus had predicted about how he would die came true.

18:33  Pilate went back into the palace, called for Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

18:34  Jesus replied, "Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about me?"

18:35  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"

18:36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn't have its origin on earth."

18:37  Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus replied, "You're correct in saying that I'm a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me."

18:38  Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I don't find this man guilty of anything.

18:39  You have a custom that I should free one person for you at Passover. Would you like me to free the king of the Jews for you?"

18:40  The Jews shouted again, "Don't free this man! Free Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a political revolutionary.)