John 18 With Additions From the Synoptic Gospels

Having said these things Yeshua came out together with His disciples across the wadi of the Kedron where there was a garden, into which He Himself and His disciples entered.

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Then Yeshua comes with them into a place called “Gath-Sh’manim” and says to the disciples, “Seat yourselves just there while I depart over there to pray. And taking Petros and the two sons of Zabdai along He started to grieve and to be in anguish. Then He says to them, “My breath of life is deeply grieved to death; stay put here and stay awake with Me.” And having gone ahead a little He fell upon His face praying and saying, “My Father, if it’s possible, let this cup pass by away from Me; however not like I want but like You do.” And He comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and says to Petros, “You weren’t strong enough to stay awake for one hour with Me? Stay awake and pray, so that you don’t enter into temptation; the pneuma is in fact eager and the biology is weak.” Again, having departed a second time, He prayed saying, “My Father, if it isn’t possible for this cup to pass Me by if I don’t drink it, let Your will happen.” And having come again He found them sleeping, because their eyes were weighed down. And dropping them, again having departed He prayed for a third time saying the same message. Then He comes to the disciples and says to them, “Sleep the remainder and be rested… Look, the time is now and Bar-Enash is handed over into the hands of malfunctioning people. Get up, let’s go; look, the one handing Me over is here now!”

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And Y’hudah, the guy who handed Him over, also knew the place, because Yeshua had gathered together there with His disciples many times. Y’hudah then taking a [Roman] maniple¹ as well as officers from the high priests and from the F’rishe come there with lights and lamps and weapons.

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And the traitor, [Y’hudah from Kerioth], gave a signal to them, “The guy whom I would kiss is Him, grab Him by force and lead Him away securely. And having come immediately approaching Him he says, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him noticeably.²

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Yeshua then knowing everything which is coming upon Him came out and says to them, “Who are you looking for?” They responded to Him, “Yeshua m’N’tsaret.” He says to them, “I Am.” And Y’hudah was also standing there, the guy handing Him over was with them.

As then He said to them, “That’s Me³,” they backed off and fell to the dirt. He then again questions them, “Who are you looking for?” and these guys said, “Yeshua m’N’tsaret.” Yeshua replied, I told you that’s Me. If then you are looking for Me, release these others to go,” so that the message would be fulfilled which said, “I didn’t lose anyone from those whom You have given Me.” Shimon Petros then having a single-edged sword drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear; and the name for that slave was Malikhu. Yeshua then said to Petros, “Throw the sword into its sheath! Am I at all drinking the cup which the Father has given Me or not?”

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And responding [to those arresting Him], Yeshua said, “Concede this at least,” and grabbing the ear He healed him.⁴

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And responding Yeshua said to them, “You came out with swords and heavy sticks to grab Me like a pirate? I was standing next to you day after day teaching in the temple and you didn’t seize Me by force; but so that the writings would be fulfilled…” And dropping Him everyone was fleeing. And a teenager who was following together with Him having been robed with a fine linen toga over his naked form, and they grabbed him by force, and the guy leaving behind the fine linen toga was fleeing naked.⁵

* * *

The maniple then and the military tribune⁶ and the officers of the Iudaeans grabbed Yeshua and bound Him and led Him to Khannah first; because he was the father-in-law of Kayafa who was the high priest that year; and Kayafa was the guy having advised the Iudaeans that it worked out better for one human being to die for the people.

And Shimon Petros and another disciple⁷ follow Yeshua. And that disciple was known by the high priest and entered together with Yeshua into the courtyard of the high priest. And Petros was standing next to the gate outside. The other disciple who was known by the high priest then came out and said to the gatekeeper to also lead Petros inside. The young female slave⁸ who was the doorkeeper then says to Petros, “Aren’t you also from among the disciples of this human being?” That guy says, “I am not.” And the slaves and the officers were standing there having made a charcoal fire, because it was so cold you could see their breath⁹, and they were warming themselves by it. And Petros was also standing there with them and warming himself.

The high priest then questioned Yeshua about His disciples¹⁰ and about His teaching. Yeshua replied to him, “I talked freely to the world. I always taught within a synagogue and within the temple, where all the Iudaeans gather together, and I talked about nothing in secret. What are you questioning Me for? Question those having heard what I talked to them about. Look, these people know what I said.”¹¹ And with His saying these things one of the officers having stood nearby gave Yeshua a slap in the face saying, “Do you answer the high priest in this way?” Yeshua replied to him, “If I talked badly, testify about the bad thing I said; yet if well, what did you skin Me for?”¹² Khannah then sent Him out having been bound to Khayafa the high priest.

And Shimon Petros was standing and warming himself. They then said to him, “Aren’t you also from among His disciples?” That guy disowned Him and said, “I am not.” One of the slaves of the high priest, a cousin of whom Petros cut off his ear, says, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with Him?” Petros then again disowns Him, and a rooster immediately sounded.

They then lead Yeshua from the house of Kayafa into the Praetorium; and it was morning; and they didn’t enter into the Praetorium, so that they wouldn’t be stained but would eat the Paskha. Pilatus¹³ then came out to them outside and says, “What accusation are you bringing against this human being?” They replied and said to him, “If this person wasn’t doing a bad thing, we wouldn’t have handed Him over to you.” Pilatus then said to them, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him in line with your Torah.”¹⁴ The Iudaeans said to him, “It isn’t allowed for us to kill anyone at all,” so that the message of Yeshua would be fulfilled which He said indicated by what death He was about to die. Pilatus then entered again into the Praetorium and loudly shouted for Yeshua and said to Him, “Are You the king of the Iudaeans?” Yeshua responded, “Are you saying this from yourself, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilatus responded, “I’m not a Iudaean; am I? The people group which is Yours and the high priests handed You over to me. What did You do?”¹⁵ Yeshua answered, “The kingdom which is Mine isn’t from this universe. If the kingdom which is Mine was from this universe, the officers which are Mine would struggle for Me to not be handed over to the Iudaeans; but at present the kingdom which is Mine isn’t from here.” Pilatus then said to Him, “Certainly not a king then, are You?” Yeshua replied, “You say that I’m a king. I had been born for this reason and for this reason I had come into the universe, for Me to testify to Reality. Every single person who is from Reality hears My voice.” Pilatus says to Him, “What is Reality?”

And having said this he again came out to the Iudaeans and says to them, “I don’t find any reason to charge Him at all. And it’s a custom for you that I would set free for you at the Paskha one person. Who do you will I should set free for you, the “King of the Iudaeans?” They yelled back then again saying, “Not this person but Bar-Abba!” But Bar-Abba was a violent insurgent.

1Greek, “σπειρα,” used to translate the Latin term “manipulus” or “maniple,” denoting a subdivision of a Roman legion consisting of between 60 and 120 infantry soldiers.

2Mark 14:44-45

3Greek, “εγω ειμι,” lit. “I am.”

4Luke 22:51

5Mark 14:48-52

6Greek, “χιλιαρχος,” a military commander over a thousand men; also used to denote a Roman military tribune who might be second in command to the Legate, the commander over an entire legion of approximately 5,000 men in the first century. Between this word and “σπειρα,” it’s clear this wasn’t just a few temple guards which came to arrest Yeshua, this was a Roman maniple led by a military tribune to “assist” the F’rishe and the high priests. The fact that so many soldiers were brought might confirm that there were more than just twelve disciples present as well, and they intended to arrest everyone.

7Probably Yohanan himself and elsewhere “another disciple” is mentioned in his narrative.

8Notably this word, “παιδισκη,” can also refer to a prostitute as well as a young female slave or “bondmaid.” It is the word used in Galatians to refer to Hagar, Abraham’s concubine. John may be giving us more information than we needed as to what this girl was to the high priest beyond just his “gatekeeper.”

9Greek, “ψυχος,” meaning “cold as in winter-time” and related to the word for “breath.” This was the early morning of April 3^rd, 33 CE. The average night time temperature in Hierosoluma (modern Jerusalem) during the end of March and beginning of April is 45̊ F-50̊ F. You can usually see your breath around 45̊, so it’s likely this was the temperature that night.

10More evidence that they had planned to arrest His disciples too.

11It isn’t a stretch to suggest that Yeshua was gesturing to those present, as John records that even the high priest’s own officers heard what He taught.

12Greek, “δερω,” meaning “to skin or to flay.” The implication is that the officer drew blood when he slapped Yeshua.

13Pontius Pilatus, fifth Roman governor of the Roman province of Iudaea serving under Tiberius Caesar from 26-36 CE, attested to by all four Gospels, Flavius Josephus, Philo of Alexandria, and Tacitus the Roman historian. Preceded by Valerius Gratus and succeeded by Marcellus. Likely from the equestrian class of the Roman nobility, and possibly related to Gavius Pontius. He was recalled to Rome in 36 to answer to Tiberius for violently suppressing an armed Samaritan uprising on Mount Gerazim, but Tiberius died before he arrived, and most think he simply retired from public service after returning to Rome.

14Contrary to the way Pilatus and the Romans are generally portrayed, they actually tended to respect the religions and cultures of the different people groups within their empire, often adding their gods to Rome’s own recognized pantheon for imperial unity, and both Augustus and Tiberius were quick to deal with leadership that didn’t or were unnecessarily brutal.

15One gets the sense that Pilatus genuinely doesn’t understand why Yeshua is there. As the Roman governor, his primary residence would have been in Caesarea along the coast, the Roman administrative capital, not in Hierosoluma. He was only there to honor the Paskha festival. While he had probably heard of Yeshua, he’d never seen or met Him before.