John 18:28-38

Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

²⁸Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. ²⁹So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

³⁰“We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.

³¹“Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied.

³²(This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.)

³³Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.

³⁴Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

³⁵“Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”

³⁶Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

³⁷Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

³⁸“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.