John 18
Open in the reader1After He-Who-Is-Saves had spoken these words, He went out with His apprentices across the Dark-Place Valley, where they entered a garden.
2Now Praised His betrayer also knew the place, because He-Who-Is-Saves had often met there with His apprentices.
3So Praised brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Separated-Ones. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
4He-Who-Is-Saves, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5“He-Who-Is-Saves of Branch-Towner,” they answered. He-Who-Is-Saves said, “I AM He.” And Praised His betrayer was standing there with them.
6When He-Who-Is-Saves said, “I AM He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “He-Who-Is-Saves of Branch-Towner,” they answered.
8“I told you that I AM He,” He-Who-Is-Saves replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”
9This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”
10Then Heard Stone drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was King.
11“Put your sword back in its sheath!” He-Who-Is-Saves said to Stone. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
12Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Praised-Ones, arrested He-Who-Is-Saves and bound Him.
13They brought Him first to He-Who-Is-Gracious, who was the father-in-law of Hollow, the high priest that year.
14Hollow was the one who had advised the Praised-Ones that it would be better if one man died for the people.
15Now Heard Stone and another apprentice were following He-Who-Is-Saves. Since that apprentice was known to the high priest, he also went with He-Who-Is-Saves into the courtyard of the high priest.
16But Stone stood outside at the door. Then the apprentice who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Stone in.
17At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Stone, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s apprentices?” “I am not,” he answered.
18Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Stone was also standing with them, warming himself.
19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned He-Who-Is-Saves about His apprentices and His teaching.
20“I have spoken openly to the world,” He-Who-Is-Saves answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Praised-Ones come together. I said nothing in secret.
21Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”
22When He-Who-Is-Saves had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
23He-Who-Is-Saves replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”
24Then He-Who-Is-Gracious sent Him, still bound, to Hollow the high priest.
25Heard Stone was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His apprentices?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Stone had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?”
27Stone denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.
28Then they led He-Who-Is-Saves away from Hollow into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Praised-Ones did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
29So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
30“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
31“You take Him and judge Him by your own teaching,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Praised-Ones replied.
32This was to fulfill the word that He-Who-Is-Saves had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
33Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned He-Who-Is-Saves, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Praised-Ones?”
34“Are you saying this on your own,” He-Who-Is-Saves asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”
35“Am I a Praised-One?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
36He-Who-Is-Saves answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Praised-Ones. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” He-Who-Is-Saves answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”
38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Praised-Ones and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Praised-Ones?”
40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Son-of-the-Father!” (Now Son-of-the-Father was an insurrectionist.)