UST YHN Chapter 18

18 After Jesus finished praying, he left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side of the valley they entered into a grove of olive trees.

2 Judas is the one who was about to help Jesus’ opponents arrest him. He knew the place where Jesus was because Jesus often went there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought to that grove a group of Roman soldiers and some temple guards who had been sent by the ruling priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lamps, and weapons. 4 Because Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, he went forward and asked the soldiers and temple guards, “Who are you looking for?” 5 They replied to him, “Jesus from Nazareth.” Jesus told them, “I am that person.” (Judas was standing with them. He was the one who was helping Jesus’ opponents arrest him.) 6 When Jesus told them, “I am that person,” they stepped back and involuntarily fell down to the ground. 7 Jesus then asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” They answered, “Jesus from Nazareth.” 8 Jesus replied, “I told you that I am that person. Since I am the one whom you are looking for, let these other men go.” 9 (This happened in order that these words that he had said to his Father would come true: “I did not lose even one of those whom you gave me.”)

10 Simon Peter had a short sword. He took it out of its sheath and struck the high priest’s servant with it, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was that servant’s name. 11 Jesus then told Peter, “Put your short sword back into its sheath! I must surely suffer in the way that my Father has planned for me to suffer!”

12 The group of Roman soldiers, along with their leader and some of the temple guards from the Jewish leaders, seized Jesus and tied his hands. 13 Then they took him to Annas first, because he was Caiaphas’s father-in-law, and Caiaphas was the high priest that year. 14 (It was Caiaphas who had advised the other Jewish leaders that it would be much better to have one man die on behalf of the people than to let the Romans kill them.)

15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did one other disciple. Annas the high priest knew the other disciple, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard when the soldiers and guards took Jesus there. 16 However, Peter had to stay outside at the door. Therefore, that disciple who knew the high priest went out again and spoke to the servant girl who was watching the door. Then he was allowed to bring Peter into the courtyard. 17 That servant girl who was watching the door then told Peter, “You are surely one of the disciples of the man whom they have arrested!” He replied, “No, I am not!” 18 (It was cold, so the high priest’s servants and the temple guards made a fire and were standing and warming themselves around it. Peter was also standing and warming himself there with them.)

19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and what he had been teaching them. 20 Jesus replied to him, “I have spoken in public to everyone who would listen. I have always taught in the Jewish meeting places and in the temple. I have taught in the places where many Jews gather. I have never said anything secretly. 21 You should not ask me! Ask the people who heard what I taught them. They certainly know what I said.” 22 After Jesus said this, one of the temple guards who was standing near him slapped him. He said, “You should not answer the high priest like that!” 23 Jesus replied to him, “If what I said was wrong, tell me what it was. However, if what I said was right, you should not slap me.” 24 Then Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the other high priest, while his hands were still tied.

25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself in the courtyard, when someone said to him, “You are surely also one of the disciples of this man whom they have arrested!” Peter denied this and said, “No, I am not!” 26 One of the high priest’s servants was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He said to Peter, “Surely I saw you in the olive tree grove with the man whom they have arrested!” 27 Peter then again denied that he had been with Jesus. A rooster crowed immediately after he did that.

28 The Jewish leaders then brought Jesus from Caiaphas’ house to the headquarters of Pilate, the Roman governor. (It was early morning. The Jewish leaders did not enter Pilate’s headquarters because Pilate was not a Jew. If they entered a non-Jew’s home, they thought they would defile themselves and be unable to eat the Passover celebration meal.) 29 So Pilate came out to talk to them. He asked them, “What are you accusing this man of doing?” 30 The Jewish leaders replied, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you!” 31 So Pilate told them, “You yourselves take him and judge him by your own law.” The Jewish leaders replied, “We want to execute him, but your Roman law prevents us from doing that.” 32 (This happened in order that what Jesus had said about how he would soon die would come true.)

33 Pilate then went back inside his headquarters. He commanded soldiers to bring Jesus to him, and he asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus replied, “Are you asking me this question because you thought of it yourself, or did others tell you this concerning me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew! Your own countrymen and the ruling priests brought you to me. What wrong have you done?” 36 Jesus replied, “The kingdom that I rule over does not belong to this sinful world. If it did, my servants would have fought in order to prevent the Jewish leaders from arresting me. But, as it is, the kingdom that I rule over does not belong to this sinful world.” 37 Then Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus replied, “You yourself say so. This is why I was born into this world: I came in order to tell people what is true about God. Everyone who believes what is true about God accepts and obeys what I say.” 38 Pilate said to him, “Nobody knows what is really true!”

After Pilate said that, he went outside and talked to the Jewish leaders again. He told them, “I have found no evidence that this man has broken a law. 39 However, you Jews have a custom: Every year during the Passover celebration you ask me, and I release to you someone who is in prison. So do you want me to release your king to you?” 40 The Jewish leaders then shouted again, “No, do not release this man, but release Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

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