1When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. [18:2] Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. [18:3] So Judas, having procured a cohort of Roman soldiers and some temple officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [18:4] Then Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, came forward and said to them, 'Whom are you seeking?' [18:5] They answered him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' He said to them, 'I am.' Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them. [18:6] When he said to them, 'I am,' they drew back and fell to the ground. [18:7] So he asked them again, 'Whom are you seeking?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' [18:8] Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am. So, if you seek me, let these men go.' [18:9] This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: 'Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.' [18:10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. [18:11] So Jesus said to Peter, 'Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?' [18:12] So the cohort of soldiers and their commander and the temple officers seized Jesus and bound him. [18:13] First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. [18:14] It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
JHN 18:1-14
The Betrayal of Jesus
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Roman-controlled Judea, the arrest of Jesus involved a collaboration between Jewish religious authorities and Roman military power. The (cohort) mentioned here was a Roman military unit, likely dispatched to maintain order during the volatile Passover season. The presence of (temple police) alongside Roman soldiers highlights the uneasy alliance between Jewish leaders and Roman occupiers. The garden across the Kidron Valley was a secluded location, familiar to Jesus and His disciples, suggesting Judas exploited this knowledge to facilitate the arrest. The use of lanterns and torches indicates the operation occurred at night, a time associated with secrecy and urgency. Jesus’ declaration ' ' (I am) would have resonated deeply with Jewish listeners, echoing the divine name from Exodus 3:14, while also asserting His authority in the face of armed opposition. The mention of Malchus as a (slave) of the high priest underscores the hierarchical and servile nature of first-century society, where even religious elites relied on enslaved individuals for their operations.
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How other translations render this
JHN 18:1
- KJV
- When 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.
- BSB
- After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.
- Koinōnos
- When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.
JHN 18:2
- KJV
- And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.
- BSB
- Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
- Koinōnos
- Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.
JHN 18:3
- KJV
- Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
- BSB
- So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
- Koinōnos
- So Judas, having procured a cohort of Roman soldiers and some temple officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
JHN 18:4
- KJV
- Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
- BSB
- Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?”
- Koinōnos
- Then Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, came forward and said to them, 'Whom are you seeking?
JHN 18:5
- KJV
- They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
- BSB
- “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.
- Koinōnos
- They answered him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' He said to them, 'I am.' Judas, who betrayed him, was also standing with them.
JHN 18:6
- KJV
- As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
- BSB
- When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
- Koinōnos
- When he said to them, 'I am,' they drew back and fell to the ground.
JHN 18:7
- KJV
- Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
- BSB
- So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.
- Koinōnos
- So he asked them again, 'Whom are you seeking?' And they said, 'Jesus of Nazareth.
JHN 18:8
- KJV
- Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
- BSB
- “I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am. So, if you seek me, let these men go.
JHN 18:9
- KJV
- That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
- BSB
- This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”
- Koinōnos
- This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: 'Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.
JHN 18:10
- KJV
- Then 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.
- BSB
- Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servantʼs name was Malchus.
- Koinōnos
- Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.
JHN 18:11
- KJV
- Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
- BSB
- “Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
- Koinōnos
- So Jesus said to Peter, 'Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?
JHN 18:12
- KJV
- Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
- BSB
- Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.
- Koinōnos
- So the cohort of soldiers and their commander and the temple officers seized Jesus and bound him.
JHN 18:13
- KJV
- And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
- BSB
- They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
- Koinōnos
- First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
JHN 18:14
- KJV
- Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
- BSB
- Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.
- Koinōnos
- It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3
“And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross”
Cited to ground: when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross
Translator's notes
JHN 18:3
- cohort:The word translated 'cohort' refers to a Roman military unit, typically about 600 men. This detail emphasizes the significant force sent to arrest Jesus, indicating the seriousness with which the authorities viewed him.
- officers:The term translated 'officers' here refers to temple police or attendants, not Roman soldiers. They were servants of the Jewish authorities, tasked with carrying out arrests and maintaining order.
JHN 18:5
- Jesus::The word translated 'Jesus:' is literally 'I am.' This phrase echoes the divine self-identification of God in the Old Testament, carrying profound theological weight beyond a simple statement of identity.
JHN 18:10
- servant:The word translated 'servant' here specifically means a slave, someone who is the property of another. This highlights the master-slave relationship, not merely an employee.