Charles Ellicott Commentary John 18:24

"Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest." — John 18:24 (ASV)

Now Annas had sent him bound....—It is better to read, Annas therefore sent Him bound.... The reading is uncertain; some manuscripts read “Therefore;” some read “Now;” while others omit the word altogether. On the whole, the evidence is in favour of “therefore.”

The tense used is an aorist and cannot properly have a pluperfect force.

The rendering of the Authorized Version is based on the opinion that Jesus had previously been sent to Caiaphas, and that all that followed from John 18:13 (see margin there) had taken place after the close of the investigation before Annas.

This view is certainly more probable than the idea that the words “high priest” should be used of Annas and Caiaphas indiscriminately (compare Note on John 18:15). However, both views do violence to the ordinary meaning of language. If the interpretation adopted in these Notes is correct, neither is necessary.

Jesus was still “bound,” as He had been from John 18:12.