Isaiah 49:7

49:7 This is what the Lord,

the protector ¹  of Israel, their Holy One, ²  says

to the one who is despised ³  and rejected ⁴  by nations, ⁵ 

a servant of rulers:

“Kings will see and rise in respect, ⁶ 

princes will bow down,

because of the faithful Lord,

the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.”

Isaiah 53:3

53:3 He was despised and rejected by people, ⁷ 

one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;

people hid their faces from him; ⁸ 

he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. ⁹ 

Zechariah 11:7-8

11:7 So I ¹⁰  began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter, the most afflicted ¹¹  of all the flock. Then I took two staffs, ¹²  calling one “Pleasantness” ¹³  and the other “Binders,” ¹⁴  and I tended the flock. 11:8 Next I eradicated the three shepherds in one month, ¹⁵  for I ran out of patience with them and, indeed, they detested me as well.

Matthew 20:18-19

20:18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. ¹⁶  They will condemn him to death, 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely ¹⁷  and crucified. ¹⁸  Yet ¹⁹  on the third day, he will be raised.”

Matthew 21:28

The Parable of the Two Sons

21:28 “What ²⁰  do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’

Matthew 23:37

Judgment on Israel

23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ²¹  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ²²  How often I have longed ²³  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ²⁴  you would have none of it! ²⁵ 

Matthew 26:3-4

26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They ²⁶  planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Matthew 26:59-68

26:59 The ²⁷  chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally ²⁸  two came forward 26:61 and declared, “This man ²⁹  said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 26:62 So ³⁰  the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 26:63 But Jesus was silent. The ³¹  high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, ³²  the Son of God.” 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand ³³  of the Power ³⁴  and coming on the clouds of heaven.” ³⁵  26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, ³⁶  “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now ³⁷  you have heard the blasphemy! 26:66 What is your verdict?” ³⁸  They ³⁹  answered, “He is guilty and deserves ⁴⁰  death.” 26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! ⁴¹  Who hit you?” ⁴² 

Matthew 27:25

27:25 In ⁴³  reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

Matthew 27:40-43

27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! ⁴⁴  If you are God’s Son, come down ⁴⁵  from the cross!” 27:41 In ⁴⁶  the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law ⁴⁷  and elders ⁴⁸  – were mocking him: ⁴⁹  27:42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down ⁵⁰  now from the cross, we will believe in him! 27:43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now ⁵¹  because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!”

Mark 10:33

10:33 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and experts in the law. ⁵²  They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles.

Mark 14:1-2

The Plot Against Jesus

14:1 Two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the chief priests and the experts in the law ⁵³  were trying to find a way ⁵⁴  to arrest Jesus ⁵⁵  by stealth and kill him. 14:2 For they said, “Not during the feast, so there won’t be a riot among the people.” ⁵⁶ 

Mark 14:43-65

Betrayal and Arrest

14:43 Right away, while Jesus ⁵⁷  was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. ⁵⁸  With him came a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and experts in the law ⁵⁹  and elders. 14:44 (Now the betrayer ⁶⁰  had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.”) ⁶¹  14:45 When Judas ⁶²  arrived, he went up to Jesus ⁶³  immediately and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed ⁶⁴  him. 14:46 Then they took hold of him ⁶⁵  and arrested him. 14:47 One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, ⁶⁶  cutting off his ear. 14:48 Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? ⁶⁷  14:49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, yet ⁶⁸  you did not arrest me. But this has happened so that ⁶⁹  the scriptures would be fulfilled.” 14:50 Then ⁷⁰  all the disciples ⁷¹  left him and fled. 14:51 A young man was following him, wearing only a linen cloth. They tried to arrest him, 14:52 but he ran off naked, ⁷²  leaving his linen cloth behind.

Condemned by the Sanhedrin

14:53 Then ⁷³  they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law ⁷⁴  came together. 14:54 And Peter had followed him from a distance, up to the high priest’s courtyard. He ⁷⁵  was sitting with the guards ⁷⁶  and warming himself by the fire. 14:55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything. 14:56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree. 14:57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁷⁷  14:58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.’” 14:59 Yet even on this point their testimony did not agree. 14:60 Then ⁷⁸  the high priest stood up before them ⁷⁹  and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 14:61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, ⁸⁰  “Are you the Christ, ⁸¹  the Son of the Blessed One?” 14:62 “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand ⁸²  of the Power ⁸³  and coming with the clouds of heaven.” ⁸⁴  14:63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? 14:64 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” ⁸⁵  They all condemned him as deserving death. 14:65 Then ⁸⁶  some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat ⁸⁷  him.

Mark 15:1-3

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

15:1 Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law ⁸⁸  and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ⁸⁹  15:2 So ⁹⁰  Pilate asked him, “Are you the king ⁹¹  of the Jews?” He replied, ⁹²  “You say so.” ⁹³  15:3 Then ⁹⁴  the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly.

Mark 15:31

15:31 In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law ⁹⁵  – were mocking him among themselves: ⁹⁶  “He saved others, but he cannot save himself!

Luke 9:22

9:22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer ⁹⁷  many things and be rejected by the elders, ⁹⁸  chief priests, and experts in the law, ⁹⁹  and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” ¹⁰⁰ 

Luke 20:13-19

20:13 Then ¹⁰¹  the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son; ¹⁰²  perhaps they will respect him.’ 20:14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours!’ 20:15 So ¹⁰³  they threw him out of the vineyard and killed ¹⁰⁴  him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 20:16 He will come and destroy ¹⁰⁵  those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” ¹⁰⁶  When the people ¹⁰⁷  heard this, they said, “May this never happen!” ¹⁰⁸  20:17 But Jesus ¹⁰⁹  looked straight at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? ¹¹⁰  20:18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, ¹¹¹  and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” ¹¹²  20:19 Then ¹¹³  the experts in the law ¹¹⁴  and the chief priests wanted to arrest ¹¹⁵  him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But ¹¹⁶  they were afraid of the people.

Luke 22:2-6

22:2 The ¹¹⁷  chief priests and the experts in the law ¹¹⁸  were trying to find some way ¹¹⁹  to execute ¹²⁰  Jesus, ¹²¹  for they were afraid of the people. ¹²² 

22:3 Then ¹²³  Satan ¹²⁴  entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. ¹²⁵  22:4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard ¹²⁶  how he might ¹²⁷  betray Jesus, ¹²⁸  handing him over to them. ¹²⁹  22:5 They ¹³⁰  were delighted ¹³¹  and arranged to give him money. ¹³²  22:6 So ¹³³  Judas ¹³⁴  agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus ¹³⁵  when no crowd was present. ¹³⁶ 

Luke 22:47-52

Betrayal and Arrest

22:47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, ¹³⁷  and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up ¹³⁸  to Jesus to kiss him. ¹³⁹  22:48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” ¹⁴⁰  22:49 When ¹⁴¹  those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should ¹⁴²  we use our swords?” ¹⁴³  22:50 Then ¹⁴⁴  one of them ¹⁴⁵  struck the high priest’s slave, ¹⁴⁶  cutting off his right ear. 22:51 But Jesus said, ¹⁴⁷  “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s ¹⁴⁸  ear and healed ¹⁴⁹  him. 22:52 Then ¹⁵⁰  Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, ¹⁵¹  and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw? ¹⁵² 

Luke 22:63--23:5

22:63 Now ¹⁵³  the men who were holding Jesus ¹⁵⁴  under guard began to mock him and beat him. 22:64 They ¹⁵⁵  blindfolded him and asked him repeatedly, ¹⁵⁶  “Prophesy! Who hit you?” ¹⁵⁷  22:65 They also said many other things against him, reviling ¹⁵⁸  him.

22:66 When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law. ¹⁵⁹  Then ¹⁶⁰  they led Jesus ¹⁶¹  away to their council ¹⁶²  22:67 and said, “If ¹⁶³  you are the Christ, ¹⁶⁴  tell us.” But he said to them, “If ¹⁶⁵  I tell you, you will not ¹⁶⁶  believe, 22:68 and if ¹⁶⁷  I ask you, you will not ¹⁶⁸  answer. 22:69 But from now on ¹⁶⁹  the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand ¹⁷⁰  of the power ¹⁷¹  of God.” 22:70 So ¹⁷²  they all said, “Are you the Son of God, ¹⁷³  then?” He answered ¹⁷⁴  them, “You say ¹⁷⁵  that I am.” 22:71 Then ¹⁷⁶  they said, “Why do we need further testimony? We have heard it ourselves ¹⁷⁷  from his own lips!” ¹⁷⁸ 

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

23:1 Then ¹⁷⁹  the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus ¹⁸⁰  before Pilate. ¹⁸¹  23:2 They ¹⁸²  began to accuse ¹⁸³  him, saying, “We found this man subverting ¹⁸⁴  our nation, forbidding ¹⁸⁵  us to pay the tribute tax ¹⁸⁶  to Caesar ¹⁸⁷  and claiming that he himself is Christ, ¹⁸⁸  a king.” 23:3 So ¹⁸⁹  Pilate asked Jesus, ¹⁹⁰  “Are you the king ¹⁹¹  of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” ¹⁹²  23:4 Then ¹⁹³  Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation ¹⁹⁴  against this man.” 23:5 But they persisted ¹⁹⁵  in saying, “He incites ¹⁹⁶  the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” ¹⁹⁷ 

John 1:11

1:11 He came to what was his own, ¹⁹⁸  but ¹⁹⁹  his own people ²⁰⁰  did not receive him. ²⁰¹ 

John 18:1-14

Betrayal and Arrest

18:1 When he had said these things, ²⁰²  Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. ²⁰³  There was an orchard ²⁰⁴  there, and he and his disciples went into it. 18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times ²⁰⁵  with his disciples.) ²⁰⁶  18:3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers ²⁰⁷  and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. ²⁰⁸  They came to the orchard ²⁰⁹  with lanterns ²¹⁰  and torches and weapons.

18:4 Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him, ²¹¹  came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?” ²¹²  18:5 They replied, ²¹³  “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) ²¹⁴  18:6 So when Jesus ²¹⁵  said to them, “I am he,” they retreated ²¹⁶  and fell to the ground. ²¹⁷  18:7 Then Jesus ²¹⁸  asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 18:8 Jesus replied, ²¹⁹  “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for ²²⁰  me, let these men ²²¹  go.” ²²²  18:9 He said this ²²³  to fulfill the word he had spoken, ²²⁴  “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.” ²²⁵ 

18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, ²²⁶  cutting off his right ear. ²²⁷  (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) ²²⁸  18:11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” ²²⁹ 

Jesus Before Annas

18:12 Then the squad of soldiers ²³⁰  with their commanding officer ²³¹  and the officers of the Jewish leaders ²³²  arrested ²³³  Jesus and tied him up. ²³⁴  18:13 They ²³⁵  brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ²³⁶  18:14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised ²³⁷  the Jewish leaders ²³⁸  that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.) ²³⁹ 

John 18:19-24

Jesus Questioned by Annas

18:19 While this was happening, ²⁴⁰  the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. ²⁴¹  18:20 Jesus replied, ²⁴²  “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues ²⁴³  and in the temple courts, ²⁴⁴  where all the Jewish people ²⁴⁵  assemble together. I ²⁴⁶  have said nothing in secret. 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. ²⁴⁷  They ²⁴⁸  know what I said.” 18:22 When Jesus ²⁴⁹  had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, ²⁵⁰  “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” 18:23 Jesus replied, ²⁵¹  “If I have said something wrong, ²⁵²  confirm ²⁵³  what is wrong. ²⁵⁴  But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?” 18:24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up, ²⁵⁵  to Caiaphas the high priest. ²⁵⁶ 

John 18:28-40

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

18:28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence. ²⁵⁷  (Now it was very early morning.) ²⁵⁸  They ²⁵⁹  did not go into the governor’s residence ²⁶⁰  so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal. 18:29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation ²⁶¹  do you bring against this man?” ²⁶²  18:30 They replied, ²⁶³  “If this man ²⁶⁴  were not a criminal, ²⁶⁵  we would not have handed him over to you.” ²⁶⁶ 

18:31 Pilate told them, ²⁶⁷  “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him ²⁶⁸  according to your own law!” ²⁶⁹  The Jewish leaders ²⁷⁰  replied, ²⁷¹  “We cannot legally put anyone to death.” ²⁷²  18:32 (This happened ²⁷³  to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated ²⁷⁴  what kind of death he was going to die. ²⁷⁵ )

Pilate Questions Jesus

18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, ²⁷⁶  summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” ²⁷⁷  18:34 Jesus replied, ²⁷⁸  “Are you saying this on your own initiative, ²⁷⁹  or have others told you about me?” 18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? ²⁸⁰  Your own people ²⁸¹  and your chief priests handed you over ²⁸²  to me. What have you done?”

18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being ²⁸³  handed over ²⁸⁴  to the Jewish authorities. ²⁸⁵  But as it is, ²⁸⁶  my kingdom is not from here.” 18:37 Then Pilate said, ²⁸⁷  “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to ²⁸⁸  my voice.” 18:38 Pilate asked, ²⁸⁹  “What is truth?” ²⁹⁰ 

When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders ²⁹¹  and announced, ²⁹²  “I find no basis for an accusation ²⁹³  against him. 18:39 But it is your custom that I release one prisoner ²⁹⁴  for you at the Passover. ²⁹⁵  So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 18:40 Then they shouted back, ²⁹⁶  “Not this man, ²⁹⁷  but Barabbas!” ²⁹⁸  (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary. ²⁹⁹ ) ³⁰⁰ 

John 19:15

19:15 Then they ³⁰¹  shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! ³⁰²  Crucify ³⁰³  him!” Pilate asked, ³⁰⁴  “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!”

[49:7]  ¹ tn Heb “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[49:7]  ² sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[49:7]  ³ tc The Hebrew text reads literally “to [one who] despises life.” It is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a לבזוי, which should be vocalized as a passive participle, לִבְזוּי (livzuy, “to the one despised with respect to life” [נֶפֶשׁ is a genitive of specification]). The consonantal sequence וי was probably misread as ה in the MT tradition. The contextual argument favors the 1QIsa^a reading. As J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:294) points out, the three terse phrases “convey a picture of lowliness, worthlessness, and helplessness.”

[49:7]  ⁴ tn MT’s Piel participle (“to the one who rejects”) does not fit contextually. The form should be revocalized as a Pual, “to the one rejected.”

[49:7]  ⁵ tn Parallelism (see “rulers,” “kings,” “princes”) suggests that the singular גּוֹי (goy) be emended to a plural or understood in a collective sense (see 55:5).

[49:7]  ⁶ tn For this sense of קוּם (qum), see Gen 19:1; 23:7; 33:10; Lev 19:32; 1 Sam 20:41; 25:41; 1 Kgs 2:19; Job 29:8.

[53:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “lacking of men.” If the genitive is taken as specifying (“lacking with respect to men”), then the idea is that he lacked company because he was rejected by people. Another option is to take the genitive as indicating genus or larger class (i.e., “one lacking among men”). In this case one could translate, “he was a transient” (cf. the use of חָדֵל [khadel] in Ps 39:5 HT [39:4 ET]).

[53:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “like a hiding of the face from him,” i.e., “like one before whom the face is hidden” (see BDB 712 s.v. מַסְתֵּר).

[53:3]  ⁹ sn The servant is likened to a seriously ill person who is shunned by others because of his horrible disease.

[11:7]  ¹⁰ sn The first person pronoun refers to Zechariah himself who, however, is a “stand-in” for the Lord as the actions of vv. 8-14 make clear. The prophet, like others before him, probably performed actions dramatizing the account of God’s past dealings with Israel and Judah (cf. Hos 1-3; Isa 20:2-4; Jer 19:1-15; 27:2-11; Ezek 4:1-3).

[11:7]  ¹¹ tc For the MT reading לָכֵן עֲנִיֵּי (lakhen ’aniyyey, “therefore the [most] afflicted of”) the LXX presupposes לִכְנַעֲנֵיּי (“to the merchants of”). The line would then read “So I began to shepherd the flock destined for slaughter for the sheep merchants” (cf. NAB). This helps to explain the difficult לָכֵן (lakhen) here but otherwise has no attestation or justification, so the MT is followed by most modern English versions.

[11:7]  ¹² sn The two staffs represent the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. For other examples of staffs representing tribes or nations see Num 17:1-11; Ezek 37:15-23.

[11:7]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew term נֹעַם (no’am) is frequently translated “Favor” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); cf. KJV “Beauty”; CEV “Mercy.”

[11:7]  ¹⁴ tn The Hebrew term חֹבְלִים (khovlim) is often translated “Union” (so NASB, NIV, NLT); cf. KJV, ASV “Bands”; NAB “Bonds”; NRSV, TEV, CEV “Unity”).

[11:8]  ¹⁵ sn Zechariah is only dramatizing what God had done historically (see the note on the word “cedars” in 11:1). The “one month” probably means just any short period of time in which three kings ruled in succession. Likely candidates are Elah, Zimri, Tibni (1 Kgs 16:8-20); Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem (2 Kgs 15:8-16); or Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24:1–25:7).

[20:18]  ¹⁶ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[20:19]  ¹⁷ tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigow) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.

[20:19]  ¹⁸ sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.

[20:19]  ¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[21:28]  ²⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:37]  ²¹ sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.

[23:37]  ²² tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).

[23:37]  ²³ sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.

[23:37]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[23:37]  ²⁵ tn Grk “you were not willing.”

[26:4]  ²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:59]  ²⁷ tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:60]  ²⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:61]  ²⁹ tn Grk “This one.”

[26:62]  ³⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the false testimony.

[26:63]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[26:63]  ³² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:64]  ³³ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.

[26:64]  ³⁴ sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.

[26:64]  ³⁵ sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).

[26:65]  ³⁶ tn Grk “the high priest tore his clothes, saying.”

[26:65]  ³⁷ tn Grk “Behold now.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[26:66]  ³⁸ tn Grk “What do you think?”

[26:66]  ³⁹ tn Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:66]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “he is guilty of death.” L&N 88.313 states, “pertaining to being guilty and thus deserving some particular penalty – ‘guilty and deserving, guilty and punishable by.’ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν, ᾿Ενοχος θανάτου ἐστίν ‘they answered, He is guilty and deserves death’ Mt 26:66.”

[26:68]  ⁴¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[26:68]  ⁴² tn Grk “Who is the one who hit you?”

[27:25]  ⁴³ tn Grk “answering, all the people said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[27:40]  ⁴⁴ sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.

[27:40]  ⁴⁵ tc ‡ Many important witnesses (א* A D pc it sy^[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabhqi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א² B L W Θ 0250 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is original (and is so considered for this translation). NA²⁷ puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[27:41]  ⁴⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[27:41]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[27:41]  ⁴⁸ tn Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.

[27:41]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said.”

[27:42]  ⁵⁰ tn Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatw) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489.

[27:43]  ⁵¹ sn An allusion to Ps 22:8.

[10:33]  ⁵² tn Or “chief priests and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:1]  ⁵³ tn Or “the chief priests and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:1]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “were seeking how.”

[14:1]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:2]  ⁵⁶ sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.

[14:43]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:43]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “approached.” This is a different verb than the one translated “arrived” in Matt 26:47 and below in v. 45, although in this context the meanings probably overlap.

[14:43]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “from the chief priests, scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:44]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”

[14:44]  ⁶¹ sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.

[14:45]  ⁶² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ⁶³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:45]  ⁶⁴ sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.

[14:46]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “put their hands on him.”

[14:47]  ⁶⁶ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 10:44.

[14:48]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist,” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).

[14:49]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “and”; καί (kai) is elastic enough to be used contrastively on occasion, as here.

[14:49]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.

[14:50]  ⁷⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:50]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (Jesus’ disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:52]  ⁷² sn The statement he ran off naked is probably a reference to Mark himself, traditionally assumed to be the author of this Gospel. Why he was wearing only an outer garment and not the customary tunic as well is not mentioned. W. L. Lane, Mark (NICNT), 527-28, says that Mark probably mentioned this episode so as to make it clear that “all fled, leaving Jesus alone in the custody of the police.”

[14:53]  ⁷³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:53]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[14:54]  ⁷⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[14:54]  ⁷⁶ sn The guards would have been the guards of the chief priests who had accompanied Judas to arrest Jesus.

[14:57]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “Some standing up gave false testimony against him, saying.”

[14:60]  ⁷⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:60]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “in the middle.”

[14:61]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “questioned him and said to him.”

[14:61]  ⁸¹ tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[14:62]  ⁸² sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.

[14:62]  ⁸³ sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.

[14:62]  ⁸⁴ sn An allusion to Dan 7:13.

[14:64]  ⁸⁵ tn Grk “What do you think?”

[14:65]  ⁸⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[14:65]  ⁸⁷ tn For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.

[15:1]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[15:1]  ⁸⁹ sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it being used to execute Roman sympathizers.

[15:2]  ⁹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action in the narrative.

[15:2]  ⁹¹ sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[15:2]  ⁹² tn Grk “answering, he said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified for clarity.

[15:2]  ⁹³ sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership (mentioned in Matt 26:64 and Luke 22:70).

[15:3]  ⁹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:31]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22. Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.

[15:31]  ⁹⁶ tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said among themselves.”

[9:22]  ⁹⁷ sn The necessity that the Son of Man suffer is the particular point that needed emphasis, since for many 1st century Jews the Messiah was a glorious and powerful figure, not a suffering one.

[9:22]  ⁹⁸ sn Rejection in Luke is especially by the Jewish leadership (here elders, chief priests, and experts in the law), though in Luke 23 almost all will join in.

[9:22]  ⁹⁹ tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[9:22]  ¹⁰⁰ sn The description of the Son of Man being rejected…killed, and…raised is the first of six passion summaries in Luke: 9:44; 17:25; 18:31-33; 24:7; 24:46-47.

[20:13]  ¹⁰¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:13]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “my beloved son.” See comment at Luke 3:22.

[20:15]  ¹⁰³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son.

[20:15]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.

[20:16]  ¹⁰⁵ sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.

[20:16]  ¹⁰⁶ sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.

[20:16]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people addressed in v. 9) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:16]  ¹⁰⁸ sn May this never happen! Jesus’ audience got the point and did not want to consider a story where the nation would suffer judgment.

[20:17]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:17]  ¹¹⁰ tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.

[20:18]  ¹¹¹ tn On this term, see BDAG 972 s.v. συνθλάω.

[20:18]  ¹¹² tn Grk “on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”

[20:19]  ¹¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:19]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “The scribes” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:19]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “tried to lay hands on him.”

[20:19]  ¹¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[22:2]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[22:2]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[22:2]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “were seeking how.”

[22:2]  ¹²⁰ tn The Greek verb here means “to get rid of by execution” (BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2; cf. also L&N 20.71, which states, “to get rid of someone by execution, often with legal or quasi-legal procedures”).

[22:2]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:2]  ¹²² sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.

[22:3]  ¹²³ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:3]  ¹²⁴ sn The cross is portrayed as part of the cosmic battle between Satan and God; see Luke 4:1-13; 11:14-23.

[22:3]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”

[22:4]  ¹²⁶ tn The full title στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ (strathgo" tou Jierou; “officer of the temple” or “captain of the temple guard”) is sometimes shortened to στρατηγός as here (L&N 37.91).

[22:4]  ¹²⁷ tn Luke uses this frequent indirect question to make his point (BDF §267.2).

[22:4]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:4]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “how he might hand him over to them,” in the sense of “betray him.”

[22:5]  ¹³⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[22:5]  ¹³¹ sn The leaders were delighted when Judas contacted them about betraying Jesus, because it gave them the opportunity they had been looking for, and they could later claim that Jesus had been betrayed by one of his own disciples.

[22:5]  ¹³² sn Matt 26:15 states the amount of money they gave Judas was thirty pieces of silver (see also Matt 27:3-4; Zech 11:12-13).

[22:6]  ¹³³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the arrangement worked out in the preceding verse.

[22:6]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:6]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “betray him to them”; the referent of the first pronoun (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:6]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “apart from the crowd.”

[22:47]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “While he was still speaking, behold, a crowd, and the one called Judas…was leading them.” The abrupt appearance of the crowd on the scene is indicated in the translation by “suddenly” and “appeared.”

[22:47]  ¹³⁸ tn Grk “drew near.”

[22:47]  ¹³⁹ tc Many mss (D Θ Ë¹³ 700 pm as well as several versional mss) add here, “for this is the sign he gave to them: Whoever I kiss is [the one].” This addition is almost certainly not original, since most of the important mss lack it. It may be a copyist’s attempt to clarify the text, or the accidental inclusion of a marginal gloss.

[22:48]  ¹⁴⁰ sn Jesus’ comment about betraying the Son of Man with a kiss shows the hypocrisy and blindness of an attempt to cover up sin. On “misused kisses” in the Bible, see Gen 27:26-27; 2 Sam 15:5; Prov 7:13; 27:6; and 2 Sam 20:9.

[22:49]  ¹⁴¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[22:49]  ¹⁴² tn The direct question using “if” in Greek is not unusual (BDF §440.3).

[22:49]  ¹⁴³ sn “Should we use our swords?” The disciples’ effort to defend Jesus recalls Luke 22:35-38. One individual did not wait for the answer.

[22:50]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:50]  ¹⁴⁵ sn One of them. The unnamed disciple is Peter according to John 18:10 (cf. also Matt 26:51; Mark 14:47).

[22:50]  ¹⁴⁶ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

[22:51]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “But answering, Jesus said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

[22:51]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “his”; the referent (the slave of the high priest mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:51]  ¹⁴⁹ sn When Jesus healed the man’s ear he showed grace even to those who hated him, following his own teaching (Luke 6:27-36).

[22:52]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:52]  ¹⁵¹ tn This title, literally “official of the temple” (στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ, strathgo" tou Jierou), referred to the commander of the Jewish soldiers who guarded and maintained order in the Jerusalem temple. Here, since the term is plural, it has been translated “officers of the temple guard” rather than “commanders of the temple guard,” since the idea of a number of commanders might be confusing to the modern English reader.

[22:52]  ¹⁵² tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (10:30).

[22:63]  ¹⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[22:63]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:64]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[22:64]  ¹⁵⁶ tn The verb ἐπηρώτων (ephrwtwn) has been translated as an iterative imperfect. The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated here.

[22:64]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “Who is the one who hit you?”

[22:65]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Or “insulting.” Luke uses a strong word here; it means “to revile, to defame, to blaspheme” (L&N 33.400).

[22:66]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[22:66]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:66]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:66]  ¹⁶² sn Their council is probably a reference to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the council of seventy leaders.

[22:67]  ¹⁶³ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

[22:67]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[22:67]  ¹⁶⁵ tn This is a third class condition in the Greek text. Jesus had this experience already in 20:1-8.

[22:67]  ¹⁶⁶ tn The negation in the Greek text is the strongest possible (οὐ μή, ou mh).

[22:68]  ¹⁶⁷ tn This is also a third class condition in the Greek text.

[22:68]  ¹⁶⁸ tn The negation in the Greek text is the strongest possible (οὐ μή, ou mh).

[22:69]  ¹⁶⁹ sn From now on. Jesus’ authority was taken up from this moment on. Ironically he is now the ultimate judge, who is himself being judged.

[22:69]  ¹⁷⁰ sn Seated at the right hand is an allusion to Ps 110:1 (“Sit at my right hand…”) and is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.

[22:69]  ¹⁷¹ sn The expression the right hand of the power of God is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.

[22:70]  ¹⁷² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ pronouncement.

[22:70]  ¹⁷³ sn The members of the council understood the force of the claim and asked Jesus about another title, Son of God.

[22:70]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “He said to them.”

[22:70]  ¹⁷⁵ sn Jesus’ reply, “You say that I am,” was not a denial, but a way of giving a qualified positive response: “You have said it, but I do not quite mean what you think.”

[22:71]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:71]  ¹⁷⁷ sn We have heard it ourselves. The Sanhedrin regarded the answer as convicting Jesus. They saw it as blasphemous to claim such intimacy and shared authority with God, a claim so serious and convicting that no further testimony was needed.

[22:71]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “from his own mouth” (an idiom).

[23:1]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:1]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:1]  ¹⁸¹ sn Pilate was the Roman prefect (procurator) in charge of collecting taxes and keeping the peace. His immediate superior was the Roman governor (proconsul) of Syria, although the exact nature of this administrative relationship is unknown. Pilate’s relations with the Jews had been rocky (v. 12). Here he is especially sensitive to them.

[23:2]  ¹⁸² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:2]  ¹⁸³ sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie – 20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.

[23:2]  ¹⁸⁴ tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.

[23:2]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.

[23:2]  ¹⁸⁶ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[23:2]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[23:2]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[23:3]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the charges brought in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:3]  ¹⁹¹ sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested only in the third charge, because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[23:3]  ¹⁹² sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 22:70.

[23:4]  ¹⁹³ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:4]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Grk “find no cause.”

[23:5]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.

[23:5]  ¹⁹⁶ sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.

[23:5]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”

[1:11]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “to his own things.”

[1:11]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “and,” but in context this is an adversative use of καί (kai) and is thus translated “but.”

[1:11]  ²⁰⁰ tn “People” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[1:11]  ²⁰¹ sn His own people did not receive him. There is a subtle irony here: When the λόγος (logos) came into the world, he came to his own (τὰ ἴδια, ta idia, literally “his own things”) and his own people (οἱ ἴδιοι, Joi idioi), who should have known and received him, but they did not. This time John does not say that “his own” did not know him, but that they did not receive him (παρέλαβον, parelabon). The idea is one not of mere recognition, but of acceptance and welcome.

[18:1]  ²⁰² sn When he had said these things appears to be a natural transition at the end of the Farewell Discourse (the farewell speech of Jesus to his disciples in John 13:31-17:26, including the final prayer in 17:1-26). The author states that Jesus went out with his disciples, a probable reference to their leaving the upper room where the meal and discourse described in chaps. 13-17 took place (although some have seen this only as a reference to their leaving the city, with the understanding that some of the Farewell Discourse, including the concluding prayer, was given en route, cf. 14:31). They crossed the Kidron Valley and came to a garden, or olive orchard, identified in Matt 26:36 and Mark 14:32 as Gethsemane. The name is not given in Luke’s or John’s Gospel, but the garden must have been located somewhere on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives.

[18:1]  ²⁰³ tn Grk “the wadi of the Kidron,” or “the ravine of the Kidron” (a wadi is a stream that flows only during the rainy season and is dry during the dry season).

[18:1]  ²⁰⁴ tn Or “a garden.”

[18:2]  ²⁰⁵ tn Or “often.”

[18:2]  ²⁰⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:3]  ²⁰⁷ tn Grk “a cohort.” The word σπεῖραν (speiran) is a technical term for a Roman cohort, normally a force of 600 men (one tenth of a legion). It was under the command of a χιλίαρχος (ciliarco", v. 12). Because of the improbability of an entire cohort being sent to arrest a single man, some have suggested that σπεῖραν here refers only to a maniple, a force of 200. But the use of the word here does not necessarily mean the entire cohort was present on this mission, but only that it was the cohort which performed the task (for example, saying the fire department put out the fire does not mean that every fireman belonging to the department was on the scene at the time). These Roman soldiers must have been ordered to accompany the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees by Pilate, since they would have been under the direct command of the Roman prefect or procurator. It is not difficult to understand why Pilate would have been willing to assist the Jewish authorities in such a way. With a huge crowd of pilgrims in Jerusalem for the Passover, the Romans would have been especially nervous about an uprising of some sort. No doubt the chief priests and Pharisees had informed Pilate that this man Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, or in the terms Pilate would understand, king of Israel.

[18:3]  ²⁰⁸ tn The phrase “officers of the chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:32, 45; 18:3, 12, 18, 22; 19:6. They are different from the Levites who served as “temple police” according to K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 8:540). In John 7:32ff. these officers had made an unsuccessful attempt to arrest Jesus, and perhaps this is part of the reason why their leaders had made sure they were accompanied by Roman soldiers this time. No more mistakes were to be tolerated.

[18:3]  ²⁰⁹ tn The words “to the orchard” are not in the Greek text but are repeated from v. 1 for clarity.

[18:3]  ²¹⁰ tn These were lamps that had some sort of covering to protect them from wind and rain. In earlier usage the word meant “torch” but by NT times it apparently meant a lamp designed to be used outdoors, so “lantern” is a good contemporary English equivalent.

[18:4]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “knowing all things that were coming upon him.”

[18:4]  ²¹² tn Grk “Whom do you seek?”

[18:5]  ²¹³ tn Grk “They answered.”

[18:5]  ²¹⁴ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Before he states the response to Jesus’ identification of himself, the author inserts a parenthetical note that Judas, again identified as the one who betrayed him (cf. 18:2), was standing with the group of soldiers and officers of the chief priests. Many commentators have considered this to be an awkward insertion, but in fact it heightens considerably the dramatic effect of the response to Jesus’ self-identification in the following verse, and has the added effect of informing the reader that along with the others the betrayer himself ironically falls down at Jesus’ feet (18:6).

[18:6]  ²¹⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:6]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “moved back” (but here a fairly rapid movement is implied).

[18:6]  ²¹⁷ sn When Jesus said to those who came to arrest him “I am,” they retreated and fell to the ground. L. Morris says that “it is possible that those in front recoiled from Jesus’ unexpected advance, so that they bumped those behind them, causing them to stumble and fall” (John [NICNT], 743-44). Perhaps this is what in fact happened on the scene; but the theological significance given to this event by the author implies that more is involved. The reaction on the part of those who came to arrest Jesus comes in response to his affirmation that he is indeed the one they are seeking, Jesus the Nazarene. But Jesus makes this affirmation of his identity using a formula which the reader has encountered before in the Fourth Gospel, e.g., 8:24, 28, 58. Jesus has applied to himself the divine Name of Exod 3:14, “I AM.” Therefore this amounts to something of a theophany which causes even his enemies to recoil and prostrate themselves, so that Jesus has to ask a second time, “Who are you looking for?” This is a vivid reminder to the reader of the Gospel that even in this dark hour, Jesus holds ultimate power over his enemies and the powers of darkness, because he is the one who bears the divine Name.

[18:7]  ²¹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:8]  ²¹⁹ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[18:8]  ²²⁰ tn Grk “if you are seeking.”

[18:8]  ²²¹ tn The word “men” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The translation uses the word “men” here rather than a more generic word like “people” because in context Jesus referred only to the eleven remaining disciples who were loyal to him and were present at his arrest.

[18:8]  ²²² sn A second time Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he,” identifying himself as the one they are seeking. Jesus also added, “If you are looking for me, let these men go.” Jesus successfully diverted attention from his disciples by getting the soldiers and officers of the chief priests to admit (twice) that it is only him they were after. Even in this hour Jesus still protected and cared for his own, giving himself up on their behalf. By handing himself over to his enemies, Jesus ensured that his disciples went free. From the perspective of the author, this is acting out beforehand what Jesus will actually do for his followers when he goes to the cross.

[18:9]  ²²³ tn The words “He said this” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. There is an ellipsis in the Greek text that must be supplied for the modern English reader at this point.

[18:9]  ²²⁴ sn This expression is similar to John 6:39 and John 17:12.

[18:9]  ²²⁵ tn Grk “Of the ones whom you gave me, I did not lose one of them.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.

[18:10]  ²²⁶ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[18:10]  ²²⁷ sn The account of the attack on the high priest’s slave contains details which suggest eyewitness testimony. It is also mentioned in all three synoptic gospels, but only John records that the disciple involved was Peter, whose impulsive behavior has already been alluded to (John 13:37). Likewise only John gives the name of the victim, Malchus, who is described as the high priest’s slave. John and Mark (14:47) both use the word ὠτάριον (wtarion, a double diminutive) to describe what was cut off, and this may indicate only part of the right ear (for example, the earlobe).

[18:10]  ²²⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:11]  ²²⁹ tn Grk “The cup that the Father has given me to drink, shall I not drink it?” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.

[18:12]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “a cohort” (but since this was a unit of 600 soldiers, a smaller detachment is almost certainly intended).

[18:12]  ²³¹ tn Grk “their chiliarch” (an officer in command of a thousand soldiers). In Greek the term χιλίαρχος (ciliarco") literally described the “commander of a thousand,” but it was used as the standard translation for the Latin tribunus militum or tribunus militaris, the military tribune who commanded a cohort of 600 men.

[18:12]  ²³² tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, who were named as “chief priests and Pharisees” in John 18:3.

[18:12]  ²³³ tn Or “seized.”

[18:12]  ²³⁴ tn Or “bound him.”

[18:13]  ²³⁵ tn Grk “up, and brought.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[18:13]  ²³⁶ sn Jesus was taken first to Annas. Only the Gospel of John mentions this pretrial hearing before Annas, and that Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who is said to be high priest in that year. Caiaphas is also mentioned as being high priest in John 11:49. But in 18:15, 16, 19, and 22 Annas is called high priest. Annas is also referred to as high priest by Luke in Acts 4:6. Many scholars have dismissed these references as mistakes on the part of both Luke and John, but as mentioned above, John 11:49 and 18:13 indicate that John knew that Caiaphas was high priest in the year that Jesus was crucified. This has led others to suggest that Annas and Caiaphas shared the high priesthood, but there is no historical evidence to support this view. Annas had been high priest from a.d. 6 to a.d. 15 when he was deposed by the Roman prefect Valerius Gratus (according to Josephus, Ant. 18.2.2 [18.34]). His five sons all eventually became high priests. The family was noted for its greed, wealth, and power. There are a number of ways the references in both Luke and John to Annas being high priest may be explained. Some Jews may have refused to recognize the changes in high priests effected by the Roman authorities, since according to the Torah the high priesthood was a lifetime office (Num 25:13). Another possibility is that it was simply customary to retain the title after a person had left the office as a courtesy, much as retired ambassadors are referred to as “Mr. Ambassador” or ex-presidents as “Mr. President.” Finally, the use of the title by Luke and John may simply be a reflection of the real power behind the high priesthood of the time: Although Annas no longer technically held the office, he may well have managed to control those relatives of his who did hold it from behind the scenes. In fact this seems most probable and would also explain why Jesus was brought to him immediately after his arrest for a sort of “pretrial hearing” before being sent on to the entire Sanhedrin.

[18:14]  ²³⁷ tn Or “counseled.”

[18:14]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, specifically members of the Sanhedrin (see John 11:49-50). See also the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.

[18:14]  ²³⁹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:19]  ²⁴⁰ tn The introductory phrase “While this was happening” is not in the Greek text. It has been supplied in the translation to clarify the alternation of scenes in the narrative for the modern reader.

[18:19]  ²⁴¹ sn The nature of this hearing seems to be more that of a preliminary investigation; certainly normal legal procedure was not followed, for no indication is given that any witnesses were brought forth at this point to testify against Jesus. True to what is known of Annas’ character, he was more interested in Jesus’ disciples than in the precise nature of Jesus’ teaching, since he inquired about the followers first. He really wanted to know just how influential Jesus had become and how large a following he had gathered. This was of more concern to Annas that the truth or falsity of Jesus’ teaching.

[18:20]  ²⁴² tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”

[18:20]  ²⁴³ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:59.

[18:20]  ²⁴⁴ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[18:20]  ²⁴⁵ tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people generally, for whom the synagogues and the temple courts in Jerusalem were important public gathering places. See also the note on the phrase “Jewish religious leaders” in v. 12.

[18:20]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[18:21]  ²⁴⁷ tn Grk “Ask those who heard what I said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated since they are redundant in English.

[18:21]  ²⁴⁸ tn Grk “Look, these know what I said.”

[18:22]  ²⁴⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:22]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “one of the high priest’s servants standing by gave Jesus a strike, saying.” For the translation of ῥάπισμα (rJapisma), see L&N 19.4.

[18:23]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “Jesus answered him.”

[18:23]  ²⁵² tn Or “something incorrect.”

[18:23]  ²⁵³ tn Grk “testify.”

[18:23]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “incorrect.”

[18:24]  ²⁵⁵ tn Or “still bound.”

[18:24]  ²⁵⁶ sn Where was Caiaphas the high priest located? Did he have a separate palace, or was he somewhere else with the Sanhedrin? Since Augustine (4th century) a number of scholars have proposed that Annas and Caiaphas resided in different wings of the same palace, which were bound together by a common courtyard through which Jesus would have been led as he was taken from Annas to Caiaphas. This seems a reasonable explanation, although there is no conclusive evidence.

[18:28]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “to the praetorium.”

[18:28]  ²⁵⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:28]  ²⁵⁹ tn Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[18:28]  ²⁶⁰ tn Grk “into the praetorium.”

[18:29]  ²⁶¹ tn Or “charge.”

[18:29]  ²⁶² sn In light of the fact that Pilate had cooperated with them in Jesus’ arrest by providing Roman soldiers, the Jewish authorities were probably expecting Pilate to grant them permission to carry out their sentence on Jesus without resistance (the Jews were not permitted to exercise capital punishment under the Roman occupation without official Roman permission, cf. v. 31). They must have been taken somewhat by surprise by Pilate’s question “What accusation do you bring against this man,” because it indicated that he was going to try the prisoner himself. Thus Pilate was regarding the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin as only an inquiry and their decision as merely an accusation.

[18:30]  ²⁶³ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[18:30]  ²⁶⁴ tn Grk “this one.”

[18:30]  ²⁶⁵ tn Or “an evildoer”; Grk “one doing evil.”

[18:30]  ²⁶⁶ tn Or “would not have delivered him over.”

[18:31]  ²⁶⁷ tn Grk “Then Pilate said to them.”

[18:31]  ²⁶⁸ tn Or “judge him.” For the translation “pass judgment on him” see R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:848).

[18:31]  ²⁶⁹ sn Pilate, as the sole representative of Rome in a troubled area, was probably in Jerusalem for the Passover because of the danger of an uprising (the normal residence for the Roman governor was in Caesarea as mentioned in Acts 23:35). At this time on the eve of the feast he would have been a busy and perhaps even a worried man. It is not surprising that he offered to hand Jesus back over to the Jewish authorities to pass judgment on him. It may well be that Pilate realized when no specific charge was mentioned that he was dealing with an internal dispute over some religious matter. Pilate wanted nothing to do with such matters, as the statement “Pass judgment on him according to your own law!” indicates. As far as the author is concerned, this points out who was really responsible for Jesus’ death: The Roman governor Pilate would have had nothing to do with it if he had not been pressured by the Jewish religious authorities, upon whom the real responsibility rested.

[18:31]  ²⁷⁰ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12.

[18:31]  ²⁷¹ tn Grk “said to him.”

[18:31]  ²⁷² tn Grk “It is not permitted to us to kill anyone.”

[18:32]  ²⁷³ tn The words “This happened” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[18:32]  ²⁷⁴ tn Or “making clear.”

[18:32]  ²⁷⁵ sn A reference to John 12:32.

[18:33]  ²⁷⁶ tn Grk “into the praetorium.”

[18:33]  ²⁷⁷ sn It is difficult to discern Pilate’s attitude when he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Some have believed the remark to be sarcastic or incredulous as Pilate looked at this lowly and humble prisoner: “So you’re the king of the Jews, are you?” Others have thought the Roman governor to have been impressed by Jesus’ regal disposition and dignity, and to have sincerely asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” Since it will later become apparent (v. 38) that Pilate considered Jesus innocent (and therefore probably also harmless) an attitude of incredulity is perhaps most likely, but this is far from certain in the absence of clear contextual clues.

[18:34]  ²⁷⁸ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[18:34]  ²⁷⁹ tn Grk “saying this from yourself.”

[18:35]  ²⁸⁰ sn Many have seen in Pilate’s reply “I am not a Jew, am I?” the Roman contempt for the Jewish people. Some of that may indeed be present, but strictly speaking, all Pilate affirms is that he, as a Roman, has no firsthand knowledge of Jewish custom or belief. What he knows of Jesus must have come from the Jewish authorities. They are the ones (your own people and your chief priests) who have handed Jesus over to Pilate.

[18:35]  ²⁸¹ tn Or “your own nation.”

[18:35]  ²⁸² tn Or “delivered you over.”

[18:36]  ²⁸³ tn Grk “so that I may not be.”

[18:36]  ²⁸⁴ tn Or “delivered over.”

[18:36]  ²⁸⁵ tn Or “the Jewish leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. In the translation “authorities” was preferred over “leaders” for stylistic reasons.

[18:36]  ²⁸⁶ tn Grk “now.”

[18:37]  ²⁸⁷ tn Grk “said to him.”

[18:37]  ²⁸⁸ tn Or “obeys”; Grk “hears.”

[18:38]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “Pilate said.”

[18:38]  ²⁹⁰ sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).

[18:38]  ²⁹¹ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.

[18:38]  ²⁹² tn Grk “said to them.”

[18:38]  ²⁹³ tn Grk “find no cause.”

[18:39]  ²⁹⁴ tn The word “prisoner” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[18:39]  ²⁹⁵ sn Pilate then offered to release Jesus, reminding the Jewish authorities that they had a custom that he release one prisoner for them at the Passover. There is no extra-biblical evidence alluding to the practice. It is, however, mentioned in Matthew and Mark, described either as a practice of Pilate (Mark 15:6) or of the Roman governor (Matt 27:15). These references may explain the lack of extra-biblical attestation: The custom to which Pilate refers here (18:39) is not a permanent one acknowledged by all the Roman governors, but one peculiar to Pilate as a means of appeasement, meant to better relations with his subjects. Such a limited meaning is certainly possible and consistent with the statement here.

[18:40]  ²⁹⁶ tn Or “they shouted again,” or “they shouted in turn.” On the difficulty of translating πάλιν (palin) see BDAG 753 s.v. 5. It is simplest in the context of John’s Gospel to understand the phrase to mean “they shouted back” as a reply to Pilate’s question.

[18:40]  ²⁹⁷ tn Grk “this one.”

[18:40]  ²⁹⁸ sn The name Barabbas in Aramaic means “son of abba,” that is, “son of the father,” and presumably the man in question had another name (it may also have been Jesus, according to the textual variant in Matt 27:16, although this is uncertain). For the author this name held ironic significance: The crowd was asking for the release of a man called Barabbas, “son of the father,” while Jesus, who was truly the Son of the Father, was condemned to die instead.

[18:40]  ²⁹⁹ tn Or “robber.” It is possible that Barabbas was merely a robber or highwayman, but more likely, given the use of the term ληστής (lhsth") in Josephus and other early sources, that he was a guerrilla warrior or revolutionary leader. See both R. E. Brown (John [AB], 2:857) and K. H. Rengstorf (TDNT 4:258) for more information. The word λῃστής was used a number of times by Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]) to describe the revolutionaries or guerrilla fighters who, from mixed motives of nationalism and greed, kept the rural districts of Judea in constant turmoil.

[18:40]  ³⁰⁰ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:15]  ³⁰¹ tn Grk “Then these.”

[19:15]  ³⁰² tn The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[19:15]  ³⁰³ sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.

[19:15]  ³⁰⁴ tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.