The Betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53)
1 UST After Jesus finished praying, he left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side of the valley they entered into a grove{ of olive trees}. BSB BSB: After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where they entered a garden.
2 UST Judas is the one who was about to help Jesus’ opponents arrest him. He knew the place where Jesus was because Jesus often went there with his disciples. BSB BSB: Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
3 UST So Judas brought to that grove a group of Roman soldiers and some temple guards who had been sent by the ruling priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lamps, and weapons. BSB 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.
4 UST Because Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, he went forward and asked the soldiers and temple guards,“Who are you looking for?” BSB BSB: Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5 UST They replied to him,“Jesus from Nazareth.” Jesus told them,“I am{ that person}.”(Judas was standing with them. He was the one who was helping Jesus’ opponents arrest him.) BSB BSB: “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.
6 UST When Jesus told them,“I am{ that person},” they stepped back and involuntarily fell down to the ground. BSB BSB: When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 UST Jesus then asked them again,“Who are you looking for?” They answered,“Jesus from Nazareth.” BSB BSB: So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.
8 UST Jesus replied,“I told you that I am{ that person}. Since I am the one whom you are looking for, let these other men go.” BSB BSB: “I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”
9 UST (This happened in order that these words that he had said to his Father would come true:“I did not lose even one of those whom you gave me.”) BSB BSB: This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”
10 UST Simon Peter had a short sword. He took it out of its sheath and struck the high priest’ s servant with it, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was that servant’ s name. BSB BSB: Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11 UST Jesus then told Peter,“Put your short sword back into its sheath! I must surely suffer in the way that my Father has planned for me{ to suffer}!” BSB BSB: “Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
12 UST The group of Roman soldiers, along with their leader and some of the temple guards from the Jewish leaders, seized Jesus and tied his hands. BSB BSB: Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him.
14 UST (It was Caiaphas who had advised the other Jewish leaders that it would be much better to have one man die on behalf of the people{ than to let the Romans kill them}.) BSB BSB: Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be better if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial (Matthew 26:69–70; Mark 14:66–68; Luke 22:54–57)
15 UST Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did one other disciple. Annas the high priest knew the other disciple, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’ s courtyard{ when the soldiers and guards took} Jesus there. BSB BSB: Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
16 UST However, Peter had to stay outside at the door. Therefore, that disciple who knew the high priest went out again and spoke to the servant girl who was watching the door. Then he was allowed to bring Peter into{ the courtyard}. BSB BSB: But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.
17 UST That servant girl who was watching the door then told Peter,“You are surely one of the disciples of the man{ whom they have arrested}!” He replied,“No, I am not!” BSB BSB: At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered.
18 UST (It was cold, so the high priest’ s servants and the temple guards made a fire and were standing and warming themselves around it. Peter was also standing and warming himself there with them.) BSB BSB: Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Peter was also standing with them, warming himself.
Jesus before the High Priest (Matthew 26:57–68; Mark 14:53–65; Luke 22:66–71)
19 UST The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and what he had been teaching them. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.
20 UST Jesus replied to him,“I have spoken in public to everyone{ who would listen}. I have always taught in the Jewish meeting places and in the temple.{ I have taught in the places} where many Jews gather. I have never said anything secretly. BSB BSB: “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
21 UST You should not ask me! Ask the people who heard what I taught them. They certainly know what I said.” BSB BSB: Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”
22 UST After Jesus said this, one of the temple guards who was standing near him slapped him. He said,“You should not answer the high priest like that!” BSB BSB: When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
23 UST Jesus replied to him,“If what I said was wrong, tell me what it was. However, if what I said was right, you should not slap me.” BSB BSB: Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”
24 UST Then Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the other high priest, while his hands were still tied. BSB BSB: Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials (Matthew 26:71–75; Mark 14:69–72; Luke 22:58–62)
25 UST Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself{ in the courtyard}, when someone said to him,“You are surely also one of the disciples of this man whom they have arrested!” Peter denied this and said,“No, I am not!” BSB BSB: Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”
26 UST One of the high priest’ s servants was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He said to Peter,“Surely I saw you in the{ olive tree} grove with the man whom they have arrested!” BSB BSB: One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?”
27 UST Peter then again denied{ that he had been with Jesus}. A rooster crowed immediately{ after he did that}. BSB BSB: Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.
Jesus before Pilate (Matthew 27:11–14; Luke 23:1–5)
28 UST The Jewish leaders then brought Jesus from Caiaphas’ house to the headquarters of Pilate, the Roman governor.(It was early morning. The Jewish leaders did not enter Pilate’ s headquarters{ because Pilate was not a Jew. If they entered a non- Jew’ s home, they thought} they would defile themselves and be unable to eat the Passover celebration meal.) BSB BSB: Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
29 UST So Pilate came out to talk to them. He asked them,“What are you accusing this man of doing?” BSB BSB: So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
30 UST The Jewish leaders replied,“If this man were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you!” BSB BSB: “If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
31 UST So Pilate told them,“You yourselves take him and judge him by your own law.” The Jewish leaders replied,“We want to execute him, but your Roman law prevents us from doing that.” BSB BSB: “You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.
32 UST (This happened in order that what Jesus had said about how he would soon die would come true.) BSB BSB: This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
34 UST Jesus replied,“Are you asking me this question because you thought of it yourself, or did others tell you this concerning me?” BSB BSB: “Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”
35 UST Pilate replied,“I am not a Jew! Your own countrymen and the ruling priests brought you to me. What wrong have you done?” BSB BSB: “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
37 UST Then Pilate asked him,“So you are a king?” Jesus replied,“You yourself say so. This is why I was born into this world: I came in order to tell people what is true about God. Everyone who believes what is true about God accepts and obeys what I say.” BSB BSB: “Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus 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 UST Pilate said to him,“Nobody knows what is really true!” After Pilate said that, he went outside and talked to the Jewish leaders again. He told them,“I have found no evidence that this man has broken a law. BSB BSB: “What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
39 UST However, you Jews have a custom: Every year during the Passover celebration you ask me, and I release to you someone who is in prison. So do you want me to release your king to you?” BSB BSB: But 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 Jews?”
40 UST The Jewish leaders then shouted again,“No, do not release this man, but release Barabbas!”(Barabbas was a revolutionary.) BSB BSB: “Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.