John 18

1 After Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] had spoken these words, He went out [to go out, come out of a place] with His disciples [learners, pupils] across [to the other side of] the Kidron [a brook near Jerusalem] Valley, where [in a specific location] they entered [to go into, come into] a garden [a place for plants and trees, a tranquil setting]. word study 2 Now Judas [who delivered him up] His betrayer [the one who handed him over] also knew [was familiar with, had knowledge of] the place [location, area], because Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] had often [frequently, many times] met [assembled, gathered] there [in that location] with [accompanied by, in the company of] His disciples [followers, learners]. word study 3 So Judas [having received a detachment] brought a band [of Roman soldiers, a military cohort] of soldiers and officers [servants, ministers] from the chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leaders] and Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict religious rules]. They arrived at the garden [to that place, there] carrying lanterns [lamps], torches [light sources, for illumination], and weapons [instruments, for war or fighting]. word study 4 Jesus [the Son of God, God’s salvation], knowing [having spiritual awareness, perceiving] all [everything, every aspect] that was coming [to come, approaching] upon [to, against] Him, stepped forward [went forth, came out] and asked them, “Whom [who, which one] are you seeking [looking for, trying to find]?” word study 5 “Jesus [the Nazarene, from Nazareth] of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said, “I am [exist, have being] He [the Messiah, the Christ].” And Judas [the betrayer, who delivered Him up] His betrayer [one who hands over or surrenders] was standing [in an upright position, physically present] there with them [in their company, among them]. word study 6 When Jesus said [as he had previously stated], “I am He [the Messiah, the Son of God],” they drew back [went backward, stepped away] and fell [collapsed, prostrated themselves] to the ground [on the earth, in a posture of surrender]. word study 7 So He asked them [once more] again, “Whom [which one, who] are you seeking [looking for, trying to find]?” “Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] of [from, belonging to] Nazareth [the city of Nazarites, a Christian],” they answered [said, spoke]. word study 8 “I [the speaker himself] told you that I am [to exist or be] He [the Messiah, Jesus Christ],” Jesus [God is salvation] replied. “So if you are looking [to seek or search] for Me, let [to release or leave] these men [these specific individuals] go [to depart or go away].” word study 9 This was to fulfill [make complete, satisfy] the word [Logos, divine message] He had spoken: “I have not lost [destroyed, failed to preserve] one of those [none, nobody] You have given [bestowed, granted] Me [to me, as a gift].” word study 10 Then Simon Peter [having a sword, being prepared to defend] drew his sword [a short sword or dagger] and struck the servant [a slave or attendant] of the high priest [the chief Jewish leader], cutting off his right [the favored side] ear [the entire ear or earlobe]. The servant’s name [a person’s character or authority] was Malchus [a servant of the high priest]. word study 11 “Put [back into its place] your sword [a short sword or dagger] back in its sheath [a receptacle or container]!” Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said to Peter [a rock or stone, a name given by Jesus]. “Shall I not [by no means] drink [to swallow a liquid] the cup [a drinking vessel, the contents of which one must accept] the Father [a male parent, the supreme authority] has given [bestowed or granted] Me [emphatically, I myself]?” word study 12 Then the band [of Roman soldiers, a military cohort] of soldiers, with its commander [a high-ranking military officer] and the officers [servants, ministers] of the Jews [people of Judah, Jewish leaders], arrested [seized, took hold of] Jesus [God is salvation, Joshua] and bound [tied, fastened] Him [with cords, as a prisoner]. word study 13 They brought Him [first of all, initially] first to Annas [a high priest, the father-in-law of Caiaphas], who was the father-in-law [relative by marriage] of Caiaphas, the high priest [chief spiritual leader] that year [a specific period of time, a cycle of twelve months]. word study 14 Caiaphas [the high priest, spiritual leader] was the one who had advised [given counsel to, consulted with] the Jews [the Jewish people, Israelites] that it would be better [expedient, profitable] if one man [a single human, an individual] died [perish, be destroyed] for the people [the nation, the crowd, the multitude]. word study 15 Now Simon Peter [one of Jesus’ twelve apostles] and another disciple [a follower of Jesus] were following [accompanying, walking behind] Jesus. Since that disciple [the other follower] was known [acquainted, familiar] to the high priest [the chief Jewish leader], he also went [entered, accompanied] with Jesus into the courtyard [palace, open area] of the high priest [the spiritual leader of the Jews]. word study 16 But Peter [stood waiting, outside at the entrance] stood outside at the door [the entrance, a threshold]. Then the disciple [a learner, a follower] who was known [acquainted, familiar] to the high priest [the chief Jewish leader, the archiereus] went out [outside, away from the house] and spoke [said, communicated] to the doorkeeper [the gatekeeper, the one guarding the entrance], and brought [introduced, led] Peter [the rock, the apostle] in [inside, into the house]. word study 17 At this, the servant girl [maidservant, a female slave] watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also [one of the followers, a disciple] one of this man’s [the Messiah, Jesus] disciples?” “I am not [no, not at all],” he answered. word study 18 Because it was [extremely] cold [a lack of warmth], the servants [slaves or attendants] and officers [ministers or attendants] were standing around a charcoal fire [a bed of burning coals] they had made [created or produced] to keep warm [to heat oneself]. And Peter was also standing with them [among or accompanying them], warming himself [heating his body]. word study 19 Meanwhile, the [chief, high-ranking] high priest [a top Jewish leader] questioned Jesus [God is salvation] about His [His own] disciples [learners or pupils] and His [His own] teaching [instruction or guidance, referring to the act of guiding others in what is right]. word study 20 “I have spoken openly [freely] to the world,” Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] answered. “I always [at all times, continually] taught in the synagogues [places of Jewish gathering and worship] and at the temple [the sacred place of God’s presence], where all the Jews [people of Judah, God’s chosen] come together [assemble, convene]. I said [spoke, uttered] nothing [no words, no secrets] in secret [hidden, concealed]. word study 21 Why are you asking [questioning, seeking information] Me? Ask [inquire of, seek testimony from] those who [that have, the ones who] heard [listened to, understood] My message [teachings, words]. Surely [indeed, behold] they know [are aware of, perceive] what I said [spoke, uttered].” word study 22 When Jesus had said this [spoken these words, uttered this statement], one of the officers [servants, attendants] standing nearby [at hand, in close proximity] slapped Him in the face [struck Him with the palm of his hand, gave Him a blow] and said, “Is this [thus, in this manner] how You answer [respond, reply] the high priest [chief priest, spiritual leader]?” word study 23 Jesus replied [answered him], “If I said something wrong [spoken evil, uttered what is bad], testify [bear witness, give evidence] as to what was wrong [the evil, the harm]. But if I spoke correctly [well, rightly, with moral integrity], why did you strike [beat, smite] Me [treat me harshly]?” word study 24 Then Annas [a high priest in Israel] sent Him, still [having his hands] bound [tied or fastened], to Caiaphas [the chief priest] the high priest [the top Jewish leader]. word study 25 Simon Peter [one of Jesus’ twelve apostles] was still standing [in an upright position, unwavering] and warming [heating himself by the fire] himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you [are you not] also one of His [belonging to Jesus] disciples [learners, followers]?” He denied [rejected, said no to] it and said, “I am not [I do not exist as, I am not a part of].” word study 26 One of the high priest’s servants [a slave, attendant], a relative [kinsman, family member] of the man whose ear [the entire ear or just the earlobe] Peter had cut off [amputated, severed], asked, “Didn’t I see [perceive, behold] you with [in the company of, accompanying] Him [the Messiah, Jesus] in the garden [a place for plants and trees, an orchard]?” word study 27 Peter [then, therefore] denied [rejected, said no] it once more [again, a second time], and immediately [at once, right away] a rooster [male chicken, cock] crowed [called out, made a sound]. word study 28 Then they led Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] away from Caiaphas [the high priest] into the Praetorium [the Roman governor’s palace, judgment hall]. By now it was early morning [at dawn, before sunrise], and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium [to avoid ceremonial defilement], to avoid being defiled [made unclean, stained] and unable to eat the Passover [the Jewish festival commemorating liberation from slavery]. word study 29 So Pilate [the Roman governor] went out [to go out or come out of a place] to them and asked, “What accusation [a formal complaint] are you bringing [to bear or lead] against this man [tou anthrōpou, a human being, tou toutou, this specific person]?” word study 30 “If He [the Messiah, Jesus] were not a [malefactor, evil-doer, wrongdoer] criminal,” they replied, “we would not have [delivered, handed over, surrendered] handed Him over to you [as a prisoner, for judgment].” word study 31 “You [take possession of, receive] take Him and judge [make a decision, condemn] Him by your own [specific, given to you] law,” Pilate [the Roman governor, judge] told them. “We [as Jews, according to our customs] are not permitted [allowed, have the authority] to execute [put to death, kill] anyone,” the Jews [the Jewish leaders, those from Judah] replied. word study 32 This was to fulfill [make complete, satisfy] the word [Logos, divine message] that Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] had spoken [said, declared] to indicate [signify, show] the kind [manner, type] of death [physical or spiritual separation] He was going to die [stop living, pass away]. word study 33 Pilate [the Roman governor] went back [again, once more] into the Praetorium [the Roman governor’s official residence, a palace or courtroom], summoned [called, invited] Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You [the Messiah, the Anointed One] the King [a sovereign ruler, having authority] of the Jews [the people of Judah, God’s chosen nation]?” word study 34 “Are you saying [on your own initiative, from yourself] this on your own,” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] asked, “or did others [different ones, another person] tell you [inform, speak to] about Me [concerning, regarding]?” word study 35 “Am I [surely not] a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own [nation] people and chief priests [high-priest, top Jewish leader] handed You over [delivered, surrendered] to me. What [which thing, what action] have You done [made, caused to happen]?” word study 36 Jesus answered, “My [divine, heavenly] kingdom [God’s royal power and dominion] is not of [originating from, belonging to] this [present, earthly] world [the orderly arrangement of creation]; if it were [hypothetically, in a different scenario], My [faithful, devoted] servants [attendants, ministers] would fight [struggle, contend] to prevent [hinder, stop] My arrest [apprehension, capture] by the [Jewish, Israelite] Jews [people of Judah]. But now [at this present time, currently] My kingdom [sovereign reign] is not [does not originate, is not based] of this [earthly, physical] realm [from here].” word study 37 “Then You are a king [a sovereign ruler, having royal authority]!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king [a monarch, with divine right],” Jesus answered. “For this reason [purpose, intention] I was born [came into existence, became incarnate] and have come into the world [the earthly realm, human society], to testify [bear witness, give evidence] to the truth [reality, divine verity]. Everyone who belongs to the truth [is of the faith, loves what is true] listens to My voice [hears and obeys My words, responds to My call].” word study 38 “What is truth [the reality of a matter, authenticity, or veracity]?” Pilate [the Roman governor, judging Jesus] asked. And having said this, he went out again [once more, a second time] to the Jews [the people of Judah, the Jewish leaders] and told them, “I find [discover, come to know] no basis [cause, charge, or fault] for a charge [accusation, condemnation] against Him [Jesus, the Messiah]. word study 39 But it is your [customary practice, tradition] custom that I release [set free, liberate] to you one [a single, individual] prisoner [captive, detainee] at the [annual, Jewish] Passover [festival, commemoration]. So then [therefore, consequently], do you want [desire, wish] me to release [set free, liberate] to you the [Messiah, Anointed One] King [Ruler, Sovereign] of the Jews [Israelites, God’s chosen people]?” word study 40 “Not [certainly not, by no means] this man,” they shouted [cried out, gave a loud cry], “but [instead, on the other hand] Barabbas [a rebel, an insurrectionist]!” (Now [at that time, then] Barabbas [the robber, a lawless man] was [existed as, was known to be] an [a, one] insurrectionist [a revolutionary, one who rises up against authority].) word study