Chapter 18

1After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. There was a garden there, and Jesus and his disciples entered it.

2Judas, who was handing Jesus over, also knew the place because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

3So Judas came to the garden with a detachment of Roman soldiers and guards sent by the chief priests and Pharisees. They carried lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to him. He stepped forward and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”

5They answered, “Jesus from Nazareth.” Jesus told them, “I am he.” Judas, who was handing him over, was standing there with them.

6When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus from Nazareth.”

8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these others go.”

9This fulfilled what Jesus had said: “I did not lose even one of those you have given me.”

10Simon Peter had a sword. He drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

11Jesus told Peter, “Put the sword back in its sheath. Should I refuse to drink the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

12Then the Roman soldiers, their commander, and the guards sent by the Jewish authorities arrested Jesus and tied him up.

13They took him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

14Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be better for one man to die for the people.

15Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.

16Peter remained outside by the gate. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back out, spoke to the woman guarding the gate, and brought Peter inside.

17The young woman at the gate asked Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” Peter replied, “I am not.”

18Because it was cold, the servants and guards had made a charcoal fire and were standing around it to keep warm. Peter stood with them, warming himself.

19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to everyone. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple complex, where the Jewish people gather. I said nothing in secret.

21“Why are you questioning me? Ask the people who heard what I told them. They know what I said.”

22When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing nearby slapped him and said, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”

23Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, explain what was wrong. But if what I said was right, why did you hit me?”

24Annas then sent Jesus, still tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest.

25Simon Peter was still standing by the fire, warming himself. The people there asked him, “You are not one of his disciples too, are you?” Peter denied it and said, “I am not.”

26One of the high priest’s servants was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He asked Peter, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”

27Peter denied it again. Immediately, a rooster crowed.

28Early in the morning, the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s headquarters. They did not enter the headquarters themselves because doing so would make them ritually unclean and unable to eat the Passover meal.

29So Pilate, the Roman governor, came outside to them and asked, “What charge are you bringing against this man?”

30They answered, “If he were not doing evil, we would not have handed him over to you.”

31Pilate told them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”

32This fulfilled what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was going to die.

33Pilate went back into the governor’s headquarters, called for Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34Jesus answered, “Is that your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

35Pilate replied, “I am not Jewish, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not come from this world. If it did, my servants would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But my kingdom does not come from here.”

37Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this purpose: to speak the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

38Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” After saying this, Pilate went outside to the Jewish leaders again and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

39“But you have a custom that I release one prisoner for you during Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?”

40They shouted back, “Not this man! Release Barabbas!” Barabbas was a bandit.