John 18:25-40
Peter Again Says He Is Not Jesus’ Disciple
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself by the fire. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of Jesus’ disciples too, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s slaves was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. He said to Peter, “Didn’t I see you with Jesus in the garden?” Again Peter said no. At that exact moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Is Brought to Pilate
Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning. The Jewish leaders did not want to be made “unclean.” They wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal. So they did not enter the palace. Pilate came out to them. He asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
“He has committed crimes,” they replied. “If he hadn’t, we would not have handed him over to you.”
Pilate said, “Take him yourselves. Judge him by your own law.”
“But we don’t have the right to put anyone to death,” they complained. This happened so that what Jesus said about how he was going to die would come true.
Then Pilate went back inside the palace. He ordered Jesus to be brought to him. Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Is that your own idea?” Jesus asked. “Or did others talk to you about me?”
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not from this world. If it were, those who serve me would fight. They would try to keep the Jewish leaders from arresting me. My kingdom is from another place.”
“So you are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, that’s the reason I was born. I was born and came into the world to be a witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate replied. Then Pilate went out again to the Jews gathered there. He said, “I find no basis for any charge against him. But you have a practice at Passover time. At that time, you ask me to set one prisoner free for you. Do you want me to set ‘the king of the Jews’ free?”
They shouted back, “No! Not him! Give us Barabbas!” Barabbas had taken part in an armed struggle against the country’s rulers.
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