John 18

After Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples, the students who followed him, across the Kidron Valley. There was a garden there, and he and his disciples went into it.

1When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

Note"The brook Cedron" is the Kidron, a steep ravine just east of Jerusalem, between the city wall and the Mount of Olives. It carried water only after heavy rain and was dry most of the year. John does not name the garden; the other Gospels call the place Gethsemane.

2Judas, the one who handed him over to his enemies, knew the place too, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.

2And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

Note"Resorted thither" in 1611 English means only that he went there regularly. It carries none of the modern sense of a holiday resort.

3So Judas came there with a group of soldiers and with officers sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees. They carried lanterns, torches, and weapons.

3Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Note"A band of men" translates a Greek word for a Roman military detachment from the garrison stationed in Jerusalem. The "officers" are a separate group: the temple police, who answered to the chief priests. The chief priests were the senior officials of the temple; the Pharisees were a religious party known for strict observance of the law.

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

4Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, the one handing him over, was standing there with them.

5They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

NoteThe Greek is simply "I am"; the word "he" was supplied by the translators. It is an ordinary way of saying "that is me," but it is also the exact wording of the divine name in the Greek version of Exodus, and John's account leaves both readings open. Nazareth was a small town in Galilee, and naming a man by his hometown was the usual way of identifying him.

6As soon as Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.

6As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7So he asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

7Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

8Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if I am the one you want, let these men go."

8Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:

9This happened so that what he had said would come true: "I have not lost even one of those you gave me."

9That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

NoteThe saying quoted is from Jesus's prayer earlier that same evening, John 17:12.

10Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

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

Note"Servant" here translates the common word for a slave. Malchus belonged to the high priest's household staff, not to the temple police, and John alone among the Gospel writers gives his name.

11Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back in its case. Should I not drink the cup my Father has given me?"

11Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Note"Put up" means put back. "The cup" is a standing figure of speech in Hebrew scripture for the portion a person is handed to drink, whether of suffering or of judgment.

12Then the group of soldiers, with their commander and the Jewish officers, seized Jesus and tied him up.

12Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

Note"The captain" translates a Greek title meaning commander of a thousand, the rank of a Roman tribune. In passages like this, John's phrase "the Jews" means the Judean authorities acting against Jesus, not the Jewish people as a whole.

13They led him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the high priest that year, the chief religious leader of the nation.

13And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

NoteAnnas had been high priest years before and had been deposed by the Roman governor, but he kept the title and considerable power; five of his sons and his son-in-law Caiaphas held the office after him. "High priest that same year" reflects the fact that Rome appointed and removed high priests at will, though the office had originally been held for life.

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

14Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

NoteThis points back to the council meeting described in John 11:49 to 50.

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

15And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

Note"Palace" translates a word meaning courtyard: the open enclosed yard at the center of a large house, with rooms around it. Peter is standing outdoors in a household yard, not in a throne room.

16But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman watching the door, and brought Peter in.

16But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

17The servant girl who watched the door said to Peter, "Aren't you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."

17Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

Note"Damsel" means a young female servant. It marks her age and position, not any rank.

18It was cold, so the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire and were standing there warming themselves. Peter was standing with them, warming himself too.

18And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

Note"A fire of coals" is a charcoal fire, the ordinary way to heat an open space. Jerusalem sits about 2,500 feet above sea level, and spring nights there are genuinely cold.

19Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about what he taught.

19The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

Note"Doctrine" in 1611 English means simply teaching, with no suggestion of a formal system of beliefs. Which man is meant by "the high priest" is unclear here: Annas is doing the questioning, but Caiaphas holds the office.

20Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the meeting places and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

20Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

NoteA synagogue was a local gathering place where Jews met to read and discuss scripture and to pray; there were many of them, in towns everywhere. "The temple" was the single sanctuary in Jerusalem, whose broad outer courts were public space where teachers spoke openly. "Resort" again means gather.

21Why are you asking me? Ask the people who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said."

21Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

22When Jesus said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped him in the face and said, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"

22And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

NoteThe Greek verb can mean a slap with the open hand or a blow struck with a rod, and translators divide over which is meant. The King James chose "with the palm of his hand."

23Jesus answered him, "If I said something wrong, show what was wrong about it. But if I spoke rightly, why did you hit me?"

23Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Note"Bear witness of the evil" is courtroom language: produce evidence of what was wrong. "Smitest" simply means strike.

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

24Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

NoteThe King James "had sent" turns this into a look back at something already done, which would make Annas the questioner in verses 19 to 23. The Greek verb is a plain past tense, and most modern translations read it as the next event in sequence, which would make Caiaphas the questioner. The wording does not settle it.

25Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they said to him, "Aren't you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not."

25And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

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

26One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

27Peter denied it again, and right away a rooster crowed.

27Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

NoteThe crowing answers Jesus's warning to Peter in John 13:38. Cockcrow also served as a rough marker of time, the stretch of night shortly before dawn.

28Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not go inside, so they would not become unclean and be unable to eat the Passover meal.

28Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Note"The hall of judgment" is the praetorium, the Roman governor's residence and headquarters in the city, where he heard cases. Entering a Gentile's house would leave a Jew ritually unclean for the rest of the day and so unable to share in the Passover meal, the annual feast recalling Israel's escape from slavery in Egypt. John's timing places that meal still ahead at this point, which does not match the timing implied in Matthew, Mark and Luke; the difference has been debated for centuries.

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

29Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

NotePontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea from roughly AD 26 to 36, holding the power of life and death. He normally lived at Caesarea on the coast and came up to Jerusalem for the festivals, when the crowds made unrest likely.

30They answered him, "If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you."

30They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

Note"Malefactor" means an evildoer, a criminal. "Delivered him up" means handed him over.

31Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jewish leaders said to him, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death."

31Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

NoteRome reserved the death penalty to the governor. Jewish courts could try cases under their own law but could not carry out an execution.

32This happened so that what Jesus had said would come true, when he showed what kind of death he was going to die.

32That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

NoteThis points back to John 12:32 to 33, where Jesus spoke of being "lifted up." John takes that wording to indicate crucifixion, a Roman punishment, rather than stoning, the penalty a Jewish court would have used.

33So Pilate went back inside his headquarters, called for Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

33Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

Note"King of the Jews" is a political title rather than a religious one. Under Roman rule, a claim to kingship was treason, which is the only charge Pilate would have jurisdiction over.

34Jesus answered him, "Are you asking this on your own, or did other people tell you about me?"

34Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?

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

35Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

36Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not come from this world. If it did, my servants would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is not from here."

36Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

NoteThe Greek reads "not from this world" and then "not from here": the statement is about where the kingdom originates, not about where it is located. "Servants" translates the same word rendered "officers" earlier in this chapter, the armed attendants who came to make the arrest.

37So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. This is why I was born, and why I came into the world: to tell the truth about what is true. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

37Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Note"Thou sayest that I am a king" is deliberately ambiguous in Greek. It can mean "yes, just as you say," or "those are your words for it, not mine." Translators divide over which sense is intended.

38Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After saying this, he went out again to the Jewish leaders and said to them, "I find no reason at all to charge him.

38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Note"I find in him no fault at all" is a legal verdict, not praise of his character: Pilate is saying there is no basis for a charge.

39But you have a custom that I set one prisoner free for you at Passover. So do you want me to set free for you the King of the Jews?"

39But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

NoteNo record of this release custom survives outside the Gospels, though a governor freeing a prisoner as a goodwill gesture at a crowded festival would fit known Roman practice.

40Then they all shouted again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Barabbas was a robber.

40Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

Note"Robber" translates a Greek word for a bandit or armed raider, and in this period it was also the standard word for a rebel fighting Roman rule. It does not mean a thief or pickpocket. Mark and Luke say Barabbas was imprisoned for a killing committed during an uprising.