YOḤANAN 18

1 Having said these, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 went out with His talmidim beyond the Qiḏron torrent, where there was a garden, into which He and His talmidim entered.

2 And Yahuḏah, who delivered Him up, also knew the place, because 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 often met there with His talmidim.

3 Yahuḏah, then, having received the squad and officers from the chief kohenim and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, and torches, and weapons.

4 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, then, knowing all that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

5 They answered Him, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 of Natsareth.” 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 said to them, “I am.” And Yahuḏah, who delivered Him up, was also standing with them.

6 When, therefore, He said to them, “I am,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Once more He asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 of Natsareth.”

8 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered, “I said to you that I am. If, then, you seek Me, allow these to go,”

9 in order that the word might be filled which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me, I have lost none.”

10 Then Shim’on Kĕpha, having a sword, drew it and struck the kohĕn ha’gadol’s servant, and cut off his right ear. And the servant’s name was Meleḵ.

11 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 said to Kĕpha, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

12 Then the squad and the commander and the officers of the Yahuḏim seized 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 and bound Him,

13 and they led Him away to Ḥanan first, for he was the father-in-law of Qayapha who was kohĕn ha’gadol that year.

14 Now Qayapha was the one who gave counsel to the Yahuḏim that it was better that one man should die for the people.

15 And Shim’on Kĕpha followed 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, with another talmid, and that talmid was known to the kohĕn ha’gadol, and went with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 into the courtyard of the kohĕn ha’gadol.

16 But Kĕpha was standing outside at the door. So the other talmid, who was known to the kohĕn ha’gadol, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Kĕpha in.

17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Kĕpha, “Are you also one of this Man’s talmidim?” He said, “I am not.”

18 And the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, because it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Kĕpha was standing with them and warming himself.

19 Then the kohĕn ha’gadol asked 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 about His talmidim and His teaching.

20 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the congregation and in the Miqdash, where the Yahuḏim always meet, and I spoke naught in secret.

21 “Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. See, they know what I said.”

22 And when He had said this, one of the officers who stood by slapped 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 in the face, saying, “Do You answer the kohĕn ha’gadol this way?”

23 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered him, “If I have spoken evilly, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike Me?”

24 Then Ḥanan sent Him bound to the kohĕn ha’gadol, Qayapha.

25 And Shim’on Kĕpha was standing and warming himself. Then they said to him, “Are you also one of His talmidim?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”

26 One of the servants of the kohĕn ha’gadol, a relative of the one whose ear Kĕpha cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

27 Then Kĕpha again denied it, and immediately a cock crowed.

28 Then they led 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 from Qayapha to the palace, and it was early. And they themselves did not go into the palace, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Pesaḥ.

29 Pilatus, therefore, came out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”

30 They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evil-doer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”

31 Then Pilatus said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” The Yahuḏim said to him, “It is not right for us to put anyone to death,”

32 in order that the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 might be filled which He spoke, signifying by what death He was about to die.

33 Then Pilatus went back into the palace, and called 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏, and said to Him, “You are the Sovereign of the Yahuḏim?”

34 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered him, “Do you say this from yourself, or did others talk to you about Me?”

35 Pilatus answered, “Am I Yahuḏi? Your own nation and the chief kohenim have delivered You to me. What did You do?”

36 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered, “My reign is not of this world. If My reign were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Yahuḏim. But now My reign is not from here.”

37 Then Pilatus said to Him, “You are a Sovereign, then?” 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 answered, “You say it, because I am a Sovereign. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

38 Pilatus said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Yahuḏim, and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

39 “But you have a custom that I shall release someone to you at the Pesaḥ. Do you want, then, that I release to you the Sovereign of the Yahuḏim?”

40 Then they all shouted again, saying, “Not this One, but Barabba!” And Barabba was a robber.