John 18
He Said I Am, and They Fell to the Ground
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The Arrest in the Garden
18:1Having said these things, Jesus went out with His disciples beyond the winter-stream Kidron, where there was a garden, into which He and His disciples entered.
18:2Now Judas, who was handing Him over, also knew the place, because Jesus had often gathered there with His disciples.
18:3So Judas, taking the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
18:4Then Jesus, knowing everything that was coming upon Him, went out and says to them, “Whom do you seek?”
18:5They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He says to them, “I am.” Now Judas, who was handing Him over, was also standing with them.
18:6So when He said to them, “I am,” they went backward and fell to the ground.
18:7Then He asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”
18:8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am. So if you seek Me, let these go away,”
18:9so that the word that He spoke might be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me, I lost not one.”
18:10Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus.
18:11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath. The cup that the Father has given Me—shall I not drink it?”
Jesus Bound and Led to Annas
18:12Then the cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him,
18:13and led Him first to Annas, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
18:14Now Caiaphas was the one who advised the Jews that it benefited them for one person to die for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
18:15And Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. That disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard;
18:16but Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman keeping the door, and brought Peter in.
18:17Then the slave girl keeping the door says to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He says, “I am not.”
18:18Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. Peter too was with them, standing and warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
18:19Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.
18:20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and I spoke nothing in secret.
18:21Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them. See, these know what I said.”
18:22When He said these things, one of the officers standing nearby gave Jesus a slap, saying, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
18:23Jesus answered him, “If I spoke wrongly, bear witness about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you beat Me?”
18:24So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Again
18:25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
18:26One of the high priest’s slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, says, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”
18:27Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus Before Pilate
18:28Then they lead Jesus from Caiaphas into the praetorium. It was early morning, and they themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
18:29So Pilate went outside to them and says, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”
18:30They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not doing evil, we would not have handed Him over to you.”
18:31Then Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”
18:32so that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spoke to indicate by what kind of death He was going to die.
My Kingdom Is Not of This World
18:33Then Pilate entered the praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
18:34Jesus answered, “Do you say this from yourself, or did others tell you about Me?”
18:35Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
18:36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If My kingdom were from this world, My attendants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here.”
18:37Then Pilate said to Him, “So then, You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is from the truth hears My voice.”
What Is Truth?
18:38Pilate says to Him, “What is truth?” And having said this, he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, “I find no charge against Him.
18:39But you have a custom that I release one person to you at the Passover. So do you wish me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
18:40Then they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a bandit.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.