Open English Translation YHN (JHN) Chapter 18

18 After he’d said all this, Yeshua and his followers went out of Yerusalem proper and over the Kidron stream towards a garden that he and his followers entered. 2 And Yudas (the one who would hand him over) also knew the place because Yeshua and his followers often met there. 3 Meanwhile Yudas had met with the soldiers and servants of the chief priests and the Pharisee party, and they all started coming into the garden with lanterns and flaming torches and weapons. 4 Yeshua who already knew what was going to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Who are you all looking for?”

5 And they answered, “Yeshua—the one from Nazareth.”

Yeshua responded, “I am the one.”

Yudas, the one handing him over, was standing there among them. 6 But when Yeshua had said that he is the one, they backed away and fell to the ground.[fn] 7 So he asked them again, “Who are you all looking for?”

And they answered, “Yeshua—the one from Nazareth.”

8 Yeshua responded, “I already told you all that I am the one. So if it’s me that you’re looking for, let these others leave.” 9 (In this way, the statement was fulfilled that Yeshua had said previously: ‘I didn’t lose any of the ones that you gave me.’)[fn]

10 Then Simon Peter drew the sword that he was carrying and swiped at the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 [ref]But Yeshua said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its sheath. I need to proceed with the plan that the father has prepared for me—I can’t just avoid the suffering.”

12 So the soldiers and their commander, and the servants of the Jewish leaders arrested Yeshua and tied him up. 13 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was the chief priest that year. 14 [ref](Caiaphas was the one who had suggested that it was better for the people and the nation if one man should die for all of them.)

15 Now Simon Peter and another intern were following Yeshua, and since that other intern was known to the chief priest, he was allowed to enter following Yeshua into the courtyard of the chief priest 16 while Peter waited outside at the door. Then the other intern who was known to the chief priest went back and spoke to the woman at the door and brought Peter in too. 17 But the servant girl who was watching the door challenged Peter, “Aren’t you also one of the followers of that man?”

“No, I’m not,” he responded.

18 Meanwhile the servants and attendants had made a fire and were standing around it warming themselves, and Peter also went and stood there to warm himself.

19 Now the chief priest interrogated Yeshua about his followers and about his teaching. 20 Yeshua answered him, “I’ve spoken openly to the people. I always taught in the meeting halls and in the temple where Jewish people meet. I didn’t speak in secret 21 so why are you asking me? Ask the people who heard what I told them—they’re the ones who know what I said.”

22 When he said that, one of the attendants standing there slapped Yeshua on the face and said, “You think you can answer the chief priest like that?”

23 But Yeshua responded, “If I said anything wrong, tell me my error. But if it was true, why are you hitting me?”

24 So Annas sent him away, still tied up, to Caiaphas the chief priest.

25 Simon Peter was still standing by the fire warming himself when he was asked, “Aren’t you also one of his followers?”

But he denied it, saying, “No, I’m not.”

26 One of the servants of the chief priest who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with that Yeshua?”

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

28 Then they led Yeshua out from Caiaphas’ place and towards the residence of the governor. It was now the early hours of the morning and as Jews, they didn’t enter the residence of the Roman governor so they wouldn’t become defiled and thus unable to eat the Passover meal. 29 So Governor Pilate came outside to them and asked, “What charge are you all bringing against this man?”

30 “We wouldn’t have brought him to you if he hadn’t committed a serious crime,” they answered.

31 So Pilate said, “You just take him and judge him yourselves according to your own laws.”

But the Jewish leaders responded, “We don’t have permission to execute anyone.” 32 (This happened to fulfil what Yeshua had said[ref] about the way that he was going to die.)

33 So Pilate went back into his governor’s residence and called for Yeshua and asked him, “So you’re the king of the Jews?”

34 “Are you saying this yourself,” Yeshua asked, “or did others say it about me?”

35 Pilate retorted, “Hoy! I’m not a Jew. It was your own people and the chief priests that handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36 “My kingdom isn’t in this world,” Yeshua answered, “because if it was, my supporters would have fought so that I wouldn’t have been handed over to the Jewish leaders. But no, my kingdom isn’t from here.”

37 “So you are a king then?” Pilate responded.

“You’re saying that I’m a king,” said Yeshua, “and indeed I was born to be a king. I came into the world so that I could testify to the truth.”

38 “Yeah. What is truth?” said Pilate.

After he’d said this, Pilate went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I can’t find anything that he’s guilty of. 39 But you all have a custom here that the governor can release one prisoner during the Passover. So would you like me to release the king of the Jews?”

40 But they all yelled back, “No, not this one. Release Barabbas.” (Barabbas was a robber.)