Study Desk

After^(a) Jesus had said these things, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and He and His disciples went into it.

Judas,^(b) who betrayed^(c) Him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with His disciples.

So Judas took a company of soldiers and some temple police from the chief priests and the Pharisees^(d) and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to Him,^(e) went out and said to them, "Who is it you're looking for?"

"Jesus the Nazarene," they answered. "I am He," ^[a](f) Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed Him, was also standing with them.

When He told them, "I am He," they stepped back and fell to the ground.

Then He asked them again, "Who is it you're looking for?" "Jesus the Nazarene," they said.

"I told you I am He," Jesus replied. "So if you're looking for Me, let these men go."

This was to fulfill^(g) the words He had said: "I have not lost one of those You have given Me." ^(h)

Then Simon⁽ⁱ⁾ Peter,^(j) who had a sword,^(k) drew it, struck the high priest's^(l) slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave's name was Malchus.)

At that, Jesus said to Peter, "Sheathe your sword! Am I not to drink the cup^(m) the Father has given Me?"

Then the company of soldiers, the commander, and the Jewish temple police arrested Jesus and tied Him up.

First they led Him to Annas,⁽ⁿ⁾ for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas,^(o) who was high priest that year.

Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was advantageous that one man should die for the people.^(p)

Meanwhile, Simon Peter^(q) was following Jesus, as was another disciple. That disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest; so he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard.

But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.

Then the slave girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "You aren't one of this man's disciples too, are you?" "I am not!" he said.

Now the slaves and the temple police had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.

The high priest^(r) questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.

"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus answered him. "I have always taught in the synagogue^(s) and in the temple complex,^(t) where all the Jews congregate, and I haven't spoken anything in secret.

Why do you question Me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said."

When He had said these things, one of the temple police standing by slapped Jesus, saying, "Is this the way you answer the high priest?"

"If I have spoken wrongly," Jesus answered him, "give evidence^[b] about the wrong; but if rightly,^(u) why do you hit Me?"

Then^(v) Annas^(w) sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, "You aren't one of His disciples too, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"

One of the high priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Didn't I see you with Him in the garden?"

Peter then denied it again. Immediately a rooster crowed.^(x)

Then^(y) they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters.^(z) It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

Then Pilate^(aa) came out to them and said, "What charge^(ab) do you bring against this man?"

They answered him, "If this man weren't a criminal,^[c] we wouldn't have handed Him over to you."

So Pilate told them, "Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law." "It's not legal^[d] for us to put anyone to death," the Jews declared.

They said this so that Jesus' words might be fulfilled signifying what kind of death He was going to die.^(ac)

Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"^(ad)

Jesus answered, "Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about Me?"

"I'm not a Jew, am I?" Pilate replied. "Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?"

"My kingdom^(ae) is not of this world," said Jesus. "If My kingdom were of this world,^(af) My servants ^[e](ag) would fight, so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here." ^[f](ah)

"You are a king then?" Pilate asked. "You say that I'm a king," Jesus replied. "I was born for this, and I have come into the world^(ai) for this: to testify^(aj) to the truth.^(ak) Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice."

"What is truth?" said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no grounds^(al) for charging Him.

You^(am) have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!"^(an) Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.^[g](ao)

Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.

The soldiers also twisted together a crown^(a) of thorns, put it on His head, and threw a purple robe around Him.

And they repeatedly came up to Him^(b) and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and were slapping His face.

Pilate went outside again and said to them, "Look, I'm bringing Him outside to you to let you know I find no grounds^(c) for charging Him."

Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.^(d) Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"^(e)

When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate responded, "Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him."

"We have a law," the Jews replied to him, "and according to that law He must die,^(f) because He made Himself^[a] the Son of God."^(g)

When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever.

He went back into the headquarters^(h) and asked Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer.⁽ⁱ⁾

So Pilate said to Him, "You're not talking to me? Don't You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?"

"You would have no authority over Me at all," Jesus answered him, "if it hadn't been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin." ^[b](j)

From that moment Pilate made every effort^[c] to release Him. But the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!"

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha).

It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning.^[d] Then he told the Jews, "Here is your king!"

But they shouted, "Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your king?" "We have no king but Caesar!" the chief priests answered.

So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.^[e]

Carrying^(k) His own cross,^(l) He went out to what is called Skull Place, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

There they crucified Him and two others with Him, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.

Pilate also had a sign lettered and put on the cross. The inscription was: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,^(m) and it was written in Hebrew,^[f] Latin, and Greek.

So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Don't write, ‘The King of the Jews,'⁽ⁿ⁾ but that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.'"

Pilate replied, "What I have written, I have written."

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier. They also took the tunic, which was seamless, woven in one piece from the top.

So they said to one another, "Let's not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see who gets it." They did this to fulfill^(o) the Scripture^(p) that says: They divided My clothes among themselves, and they cast lots for My clothing. ^(q)[g] And this is what the soldiers did.

Standing^(r) by the cross^(s) of Jesus were His mother,^(t) His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^(u)

When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved^(v) standing there, He said to His mother, "Woman, here is your son."

Then He said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After^(w) this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished^(x) that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, "I'm thirsty!" ^(y)

A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop^[h](z) and held it up to His mouth.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!"^(aa) Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.^(ab)

Since it was the preparation day,^(ac) the Jews did not want the bodies^(ad) to remain on the cross^(ae) on the Sabbath^(af) (for that Sabbath was a special^[i] day). They requested that Pilate have the men's legs broken and that their bodies be taken away.^(ag)

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other one who had been crucified with Him.

When they came to Jesus, they did not break His legs since they saw that He was already dead.^(ah)

But one of the soldiers pierced^(ai) His side^(aj) with a spear, and at once blood and water^(ak) came out.

He who saw this has testified^(al) so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.^(am)

For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled:^(an) Not one of His bones will be broken. ^(ao)[j]

Also, another Scripture says: They will look at the One they pierced. ^(ap)[k]

After^(aq) this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus' body.^(ar) Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took His body away.

Nicodemus^(as) (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds^[l] of myrrh and aloes.

Then they took Jesus' body^(at) and wrapped it in linen cloths^(au) with the aromatic spices, according to the burial^(av) custom of the Jews.

There was a garden in the place where He was crucified. A new tomb was in the garden; no one had yet been placed in it.

They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish preparation and since the tomb was nearby.