John 18:10

18:10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave, ¹  cutting off his right ear. ²  (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.) ³ 

John 18:15-16

Peter’s First Denial

18:15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas. ⁴  (Now the other disciple ⁵  was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.) ⁶  18:16 But Simon Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door, ⁷  and brought Peter inside.

John 18:26

18:26 One of the high priest’s slaves, ⁸  a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, ⁹  said, “Did I not see you in the orchard ¹⁰  with him?” ¹¹ 

[18:10]  ¹ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[18:10]  ² 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]  ³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:15]  ⁴ tn The words “them as they brought Jesus to Annas” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify who Peter and the other disciple were following. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[18:15]  ⁵ tn Grk “that disciple.”

[18:15]  ⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[18:16]  ⁷ tn Grk “spoke to the doorkeeper”; her description as a slave girl is taken from the following verse. The noun θυρωρός (qurwro") may be either masculine or feminine, but the article here indicates that it is feminine.

[18:26]  ¹⁰ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[18:26]  ¹¹ sn This incident is recounted in v. 10.

[18:26]  ¹² tn Or “garden.”

[18:26]  ¹³ tn This question, prefaced with οὐκ (ouk) in Greek, anticipates a positive answer.