1 Jesus, having said these things, went out with his disciples beyond the torrent Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, he and his disciples. 2 And Judas also, who delivered him up, knew the place, because Jesus was often there, in company with his disciples. 3 Judas therefore, having got the band, and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that were coming upon him, went forth and said to them, Whom seek ye? 5 They answered him, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am [he]. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them. 6 When therefore he said to them, I am [he], they went away backward and fell to the ground. 7 He demanded of them therefore again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus the Nazaraean. 8 Jesus answered, I told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go away; 9 that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, [As to] those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them. 10 Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and smote the bondman of the high priest and cut off his right ear; and the bondman's name was Malchus. 11 Jesus therefore said to Peter, Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it? 12 The band therefore, and the chiliarch, and the officers of the Jews, took Jesus and bound him: 13 and they led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 But it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews that it was better that one man should perish for the people. 15 Now Simon Peter followed Jesus, and the other disciple. But that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest; 16 but Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the porteress and brought in Peter. 17 The maid therefore, who was porteress, says to Peter, Art thou also of the disciples of this man? He says, I am not. 18 But the bondmen and officers, having made a fire of coals (for it was cold), stood and warmed themselves; and Peter was standing with them and warming himself. 19 The high priest therefore demanded of Jesus concerning his disciples and concerning his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I taught always in [the] synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have spoken nothing. 21 Why demandest thou of me? Demand of those who have heard, what I have spoken to them; behold, they know what I have said. 22 But as he said these things, one of the officers who stood by gave a blow on the face to Jesus, saying, Answerest thou the high priest thus? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me? 24 Annas [then] had sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 But Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him, Art thou also of his disciples? He denied, and said, I am not. 26 One of the bondmen of the high priest, who was kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, says, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 27 Peter denied therefore again, and immediately [the] cock crew. 28 They lead therefore Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium; and it was early morn. And they entered not into the praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but eat the passover. 29 Pilate therefore went out to them and said, What accusation do ye bring against this man? 30 They answered and said to him, If this [man] were not an evildoer, we should not have delivered him up to thee. 31 Pilate therefore said to them, Take him, ye, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not permitted to us to put any one to death; 32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spoke, signifying what death he should die. 33 Pilate therefore entered again into the praetorium and called Jesus, and said to him, Thou art the king of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered [him], Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others said it to thee concerning me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thy nation and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants had fought that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said to him, Thou art then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest [it], that I am a king. I have been born for this, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. 38 Pilate says to him, What is truth? And having said this he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, I find no fault whatever in him. 39 But ye have a custom that I release [some] one to you at the passover; will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews? 40 They cried therefore again all, saying, Not this [man], but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
John 18 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Annas
Named as high priest alongside Caiaphas when John began preaching, and as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, to whom Jesus was brought first.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:2; John 18:13; John 18:24
Malchus
The servant of the high priest whose right ear Simon Peter cut off in the garden.
Cited in the guide: John 18:10
Pontius Pilate
Roman governor of Judea who questioned Jesus, found no guilt in Him, released Barabbas, and gave Him up to be crucified and permitted Joseph of Arimathea to take the body.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 27:2; Luke 3:1; John 18:38
Cross references (39)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Samuel 15:23; Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:26; Luke 22:39–40
- 2 Luke 21:37; Luke 22:39; Mark 11:11–12
- 3 John 18:12; Luke 22:47–53; Psalm 3:1–2; Acts 1:16; Psalm 22:12
- 4 John 13:1; John 18:7; Acts 2:28; Acts 20:22–23; Psalm 27:3
- 5 Isaiah 3:9; John 1:46; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 2:23; John 19:19
- 6 Psalm 27:2; Psalm 70:2–3; 2 Kings 1:9–15; Acts 4:29–30; Luke 9:54–56
- 7 John 18:4
- 8 John 10:28; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 5:7; John 13:1
- 9 John 17:12
- 10 Matthew 26:51–54; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:49–51; John 18:26; Mark 14:30
- 11 Matthew 26:39; Matthew 20:22; John 20:17; John 12:27–28; Hebrews 12:2
- 12 John 18:3; Matthew 26:57; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:54; Acts 22:24–28
- 13 John 18:24; Luke 3:2; Matthew 26:3; John 11:51; Matthew 26:57
- 14 John 11:49–52
- 15 Luke 22:54; Mark 14:54; Matthew 26:58–68; Matthew 26:3
- 16 Luke 22:55–57; Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66–68
- 17 Matthew 26:69–70; Mark 14:66–68; John 18:25; Matthew 26:33; Luke 22:56–57
- 18 Mark 14:54; John 18:25; Luke 22:55–56; Mark 14:67; Psalm 26:4–10
- 19 Mark 14:55–65; Luke 20:20; Luke 11:53–54; Matthew 26:59–68; Luke 22:63–71
- 20 John 7:26; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 4:23; Luke 21:37; Matthew 26:55
- 21 Luke 22:67; Mark 14:55–59; Matthew 26:59–60; Acts 24:18–20; Acts 24:12–13
- 22 John 19:3; Luke 22:63–64; Mark 14:65; Isaiah 50:5–7; Matthew 26:67–68
- 23 1 Peter 2:20–23; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Matthew 5:39; Acts 23:2–5
- 24 John 18:13; Matthew 26:57
- 25 Mark 14:67–72; John 18:17–18; Matthew 26:71–75; Proverbs 29:25; Genesis 18:15
- 26 John 18:10; John 18:1; Mark 14:70–71; Luke 22:59–60; Matthew 26:73
- 27 John 13:38; Mark 14:71–72; Luke 22:60–62; Matthew 26:34; Mark 14:30
- 28 John 18:33; John 19:9; John 19:14; Mark 15:1–5; Matthew 27:27
- 29 Mark 15:2–5; Matthew 27:23; Matthew 27:11–14; Luke 23:2–3; Acts 23:28–30
- 30 Mark 15:3; John 19:12; Luke 23:2–5; Mark 10:33; Luke 20:19–26
- 31 John 19:6–7; John 19:15; Ezekiel 21:26–27; Acts 25:18–20; Hosea 3:4–5
- 32 John 3:14; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 20:19; John 12:32–33; Luke 18:32–33
- 33 Luke 23:3–4; John 19:3; Acts 2:34–36; John 12:13; Zechariah 9:9
- 35 John 19:11; Acts 22:22–24; Acts 25:19–20; John 19:6; Nehemiah 4:2
- 36 Luke 17:20–21; Colossians 1:12–14; John 6:15; Romans 14:17; Daniel 2:44
- 37 1 John 4:6; John 8:47; John 8:14; John 10:26–27; 1 John 3:19
- 38 John 19:4; John 19:6; Luke 23:4; Acts 17:32; Acts 24:25–26
- 39 Matthew 27:15–18; Mark 15:6–14; Luke 23:16–23; Matthew 27:20–23
- 40 Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Matthew 27:16; Luke 23:25; Mark 15:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
When the grand and lengthened discourse was concluded which the Lord delivered after supper, and on the eve of shedding His blood for us, to the disciples who were then with Him, and had added the prayer addressed to His Father, the evangelist John began thereafter the narrative of His passion in these words: "When Jesus had so spoken, He …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
An awful thing is death, and very full of terror, but not to those who have learnt the true wisdom which is above. For he that knows nothing certain concerning things to come, but deems it to be a certain dissolution and end of life, with reason shudders and is afraid, as though he were passing into non-existence.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… the precepts which He taught, did not offer the other cheek to the servant of the high priest when smiting Him thereon; but, so far from that, said, "If I have spoken evil, hear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?" Yet was He not on that account unprepared in heart, for the salvation of all, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For, because both continued with Him at His crucifixion, taking away the ground of his own commendation, he saith, "That disciple was known unto the high priest." But James survived not a long time, but from the beginning he was so greatly filled with warmth, and so forsook all the things of men, and mounted up to an height unutterable, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Ought he not to have followed the example of Jesus, and said, If ye seek Me, let these go their way?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)