 CHAPTERS 18-21 CHAPTER 18 After offering this prayer Jesus went out with his disciples to a place on the further side of the ravine of the cedars, where there was a garden which he entered, himself and his disciples. Now Judas also, who at that very time was betraying him, knew the place, for Jesus had often resorted there with his disciples. So Judas, followed by the battalion and by a detachment of the temple police, sent by the high priests and Pharisees, came there with torches and lamps and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all that was about to befall him, went out to meet them. Who are you looking for? he asked them. For Jesus the Nazarene! was the answer. I am he, he replied. Now Judas, who was betraying him, was also standing with them. As soon then as he said to them, I am he, they went backwards and fell to the ground. Again therefore he asked them, Who are you looking for? For Jesus the Nazarene! they said. I have told you, replied Jesus, that I am he. If therefore you are looking for me, let these my disciples go their way. He made this request in order that the words he had spoken might be fulfilled. As for those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one. Simon Peter, however, having a sword, drew it, and aiming it at the high priest's servant, cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter, Put back your sword! Shall I refuse to drink the cup of sorrow which the Father has given me to drink? So the battalion and their tribune and the Jewish police closed in, and took Jesus and bound him. They then brought him to Annas first, for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was this Caiaphas who had advised the Jews, saying, It is to your interest that one man should die for the people! Meanwhile Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so also was another disciple. The latter was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest's palace. But Peter remained standing outside the door till the disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and induced the fortress to let Peter in. This led the girl, the fortress, to ask Peter, Are you also one of this man's disciples? No, I am not! he replied. Now because it was cold, the servants and the police had lighted a charcoal fire and were standing and warming themselves, and Peter too remained with them, standing and warming himself. So the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. As for me, replied Jesus, I have spoken openly to the world, I have continually taught in some synagogue or in the temple where all the Jews are wont to assemble, and I have said nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Question those who heard what it was I said to them. These witnesses here know what I said. Upon his saying this, one of the officers standing by struck him with his open hand, asking him as he did so, Is that the way you answer the high priest? If I have spoken wrongly, replied Jesus, Bear witness to it as wrong, but if rightly, why that blow? So Anas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest, but Simon Peter remained standing and warming himself, and this led to their asking him, Are you also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, No, I am not! One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, Did I not see you in the garden with him? This more Peter denied it, and immediately a cock crowed. So they brought Jesus from Caiaphas's house to the Praetorium. It was the early morning, and they would not enter the Praetorium themselves, for fear of defilement, and in order that they might be able to eat the Passover. Accordingly Pilate came out to them and inquired, What accusation have you to bring against this man? If the man were not a criminal, they replied, We would not have handed him over to you. Take him yourselves, said Pilate, and judge him by your law. We have no power, replied the Jews, to put any man to death. They said this that the words might be fulfilled in which Jesus predicted the kind of death he was to die. By entering the Praetorium, therefore, Pilate called Jesus and asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? Do you say this of yourself, or have others told it to you about me? replied Jesus. Am I a Jew? exclaimed Pilate. It is your own nation and the high priest's who have handed you over to me. What have you done? My kingdom, replied Jesus, does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my subjects would have resolutely fought to save me from being delivered up to the Jews. But as a matter of fact, my kingdom has not this origin. So, then you are a king, rejoined Pilate. Yes, said Jesus, you say truly that I am a king, for this purpose I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world to give testimony for the truth. One who is a friend of the truth listens to my voice. What is truth? said Pilate. But no sooner had he spoken the words than he went out again to the Jews and told them, I find no crime in him, but you have accustomed that I should release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So shall I release to you the king of the Jews? With a roar of voices they again cried out, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas! Now Barabbas was a robber. Chapter 19 Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him, and the soldiers, twisting twigs of thorn into a wreath, put it on his head and threw round him a crimson cloak. Then they began to march up to him, saying in a mocking voice, Hell, king of the Jews! And they struck him with the palms of their hands. Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, See, I am bringing him out to you to let you clearly understand that I find no crime in him. So Jesus came out, wearing the wreath of thorns and the crimson cloak, and Pilate said to them, See, there is the man. As soon then as the high priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, To the cross! To the cross! Take him yourselves and crucify him, said Pilate, for I at any rate find no crime in him. We, replied the Jews, have a law, and in accordance with that law he ought to die for having claimed to be the Son of God. More alarmed than ever, Pilate no sooner heard these words than he re-entered the Praetorium and began to question Jesus. What is your origin? He asked. But Jesus gave no answer. Do you refuse to speak even to me? Asked Pilate. Do you not know that I have it in my power either to release you or to crucify you? You would have had no power whatever over me, replied Jesus. Had it not been granted you from above. On that account, he who has delivered me up to you is more guilty than you are. Upon receiving this answer Pilate was for releasing him, but the Jews kept shouting, If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar's. Everyone who sets himself up as king declares himself a rebel against Caesar. On hearing this Pilate brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat in a place called the Pavement or in Hebrew, Gabbathah. It was the day of preparation for the Passover, about six o'clock in the morning. Then he said to the Jews, There is your king! This caused a storm of outcries, Away with him, away with him! Crucify him! Am I to crucify your king? Pilate asked. We have no king except Caesar! answered the high priests. Then Pilate gave him up to them, to be crucified. Accordingly they took Jesus, and he went out carrying his own cross to the place called Skol Place or in Hebrew, Golgathah, where they nailed him to a cross and two others at the same time, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Then Pilate wrote a notice and had it fastened to the top of the cross. It ran thus, Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this notice, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was in three languages, Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. This led the Jewish high priests to remonstrate with Pilate. You should not write, the king of the Jews, they said, but that he claimed to be king of the Jews. What I have written, I have written, was Pilate's answer. So the soldiers, as soon as they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, including his tunic, and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. The tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one place. So they said to one another, do not let us tear it, let us draw lots for it. This happened, that the scripture might be fulfilled, which says, they shared my garments among them, and drew lots for my clothing. That was just what the soldiers did. Now standing close to the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopus, and Mary of Magdala. So Jesus, seeing his mother, and seeing the disciple whom he loved standing near, said to his mother, Behold, your son! Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother! And from that time the disciple received her into his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was now brought to an end, said that the scripture might be fulfilled, I am thirsty. There was a jar of wine standing there. With this wine they filled a sponge, put it on the end of a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to his mouth. As soon as Jesus had taken the wine, he said, Is finished! And then, bowing his head, he yielded up his spirit. Meanwhile, the Jews, because it was the day of preparation for the Passover, and in order that the bodies might not remain on the crosses during the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was one of special solemnity, requested Pilate to have the legs of the dying men broken and the bodies removed. Accordingly the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and also of the other who had been crucified with Jesus. Then they came to Jesus himself, but when they saw that he was already dead, they refrained from breaking his legs. One of the soldiers, however, made a thrust at his side with a lance, and immediately blood and water flowed out. This statement is the testimony of an eyewitness, and it is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, in order that you also may believe. For all this took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, which declares, Not one of his bones shall be broken. And again another scripture says, They shall look on him whom they have pierced. After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but for fear of the Jews a secret disciple, asked Pilate's permission to carry away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave, so he came and removed the body. Nicodemus too, he who at first had visited Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and allows in weight about seventy or eighty pounds. Coming down the body, they wrapped it in linen cloths along with the spices, in accordance with the Jewish mode of preparing for burial. There was a garden at the place where Jesus had been crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Therefore, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover, and the tomb was close at hand, they put Jesus there. CHAPTER XX. On the first day of the week, very early while it was still dark, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from it. So she ran as fast as she could to find Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one who was dear to Jesus, and to tell them, They have taken the master out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put him. Peter and the other disciple started at once to go to the tomb, both of them running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached it before he did. Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there on the ground, but he did not go in. Simon Peter, however, also came following him and entered the tomb. There on the ground he saw the cloths and the towel which had been placed over the face of Jesus, not lying with the cloths, but folded up and put by itself. Then the other disciple, who had been the first to come to the tomb, also went in and saw and was convinced, for until now they had not understood the inspired teaching that he must rise again from among the dead. Then they went away and returned home. Meanwhile Mary remained standing near the tomb, weeping aloud. She did not enter the tomb, but as she wept she stooped and looked in, and saw two angels clothed in white raiment sitting one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. They spoke to her. Why are you weeping? they asked. Because, she replied, they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put him. While she was still speaking she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but did not recognize him. Why are you weeping? he asked. Who are you looking for? She, supposing that he was the gardener, replied, Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will remove him. Mary said Jesus. She turned to him. Rabbona! She cried in Hebrew. The word means teacher. Do not cling to me, said Jesus, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But take this message to my brethren. I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary of Magdala came and brought word to the disciples. I have seen the Master! She said, and she told them that he had said these things to her. On that same first day of the week, when it was evening and for fear of the Jews, the doors of the house where the disciples were were locked, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be to you! Having said this, he showed them his hands and also his side, and the disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Master. A second time, therefore, he said to them, Peace be to you! As the Father sent me, I also now send you. Having said this, he breathed upon them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you remit the sins of any persons, they remain remitted to them. If you bind fast the sins of any, they remain bound. Thomas, one of the twelve, surnamed the Twin, was not among them when Jesus came. So the rest of the disciples told him, We have seen the Master! His reply was, Unless I see in his hands the wound made by the nails and put my finger into the wound and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it. A week later the disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them when Jesus came, though the doors were locked and stood in their midst and said, Peace be to you! Then he said to Thomas, Bring your finger here and fill my hands. Bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be ready to disbelieve, but to believe, My Lord and my God! Because you have seen me, replied Jesus, you have believed, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. There were also a great number of other signs which Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples which are not recorded in this book, but these have been recorded in order that you may believe that he is the Christ, the Son of God and that through believing you may have life through his name. CHAPTER XXI After this Jesus again showed himself to the disciples, it was at the lake of Tiberius, the circumstances were as follows. Simon Peter was with Thomas, called the Twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the Sons of Zabdi, and two others of the master's disciples. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing! We will go too, said they, so they set out and went on board their boat, but they caught nothing that night. When however day was now dawning, Jesus stood on the beach, though the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. He called to them. Run, he said. Have you any food there? No, they answered. Throw the net in on the right hand side, he said, and you will find fish. So they threw the net in, and now they could scarcely drag it along for the quantity of fish. This made the disciple whom Jesus loved say to Peter, it is the master. And Peter therefore, when he heard the words, it is the master, drew on his fisherman's shirt, for he had not been wearing it, put on his girdle, and sprang into the water. But the rest of the disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards off, dragging the net full of fish. As soon as they landed they saw a charcoal fire burning there, with fish broiling on it, and bread close by. Jesus told them to fetch some of the fish which they had just caught. So Simon Peter went on board the boat, and drew the net ashore full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three in number, and yet, although there were so many, the net had not broken. Come this way and have breakfast, said Jesus, but not one of the disciples ventured to question him as to who he was, for they felt sure that it was the master. Then Jesus came and took the bread and gave them some, and the fish in the same way. This was now the third occasion on which Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had risen from among the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others do? Yes, master, was his answer. You know that you are dear to me. Then feed my lambs, replied Jesus. Again a second time he asked him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Yes, master, he said, you know that you are dear to me. Then be a shepherd to my sheep, he said. A third time Jesus put the question, Simon, son of John, am I dear to you? It grieved Peter that Jesus asked him the third time, am I dear to you? Master, he replied, you know everything. You can see that you are dear to me? Then feed my much-loved sheep, said Jesus. In most solemn truth I tell you that whereas when you were young you used to put on your girdle and walk whichever way you chose. When you have grown old you will stretch out your arms and someone else will put a girdle round you and carry you where you have no wish to go. This he said to indicate the kind of death by which that disciple would bring glory to God. And after speaking thus he said to him, follow me. Peter turned round and noticed the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the one who at the supper had leaned back on his breast and had asked, Master, who is it that is betraying you? On seeing him Peter asked Jesus, and Master, what about him? If I desire him to remain till I come, replied Jesus. What concern is that of yours? You yourself must follow me. Hence the report spread among the brethren that that disciple would never die. Yet Jesus did not say, he is not to die, but, if I desire him to remain till I come, what concern is that of yours? That is the disciple who gives his testimony as to these matters and has written this history, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did so vast a number indeed that if they were all described in detail, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would have to be written. Amen. The end of chapters 18 through 21 and the end of the Gospel according to John from the New Testament in modern speech translated by Richard Francis Weymouth. Recording by Mark Penfold