John 18:3

John 18:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
• New International Version (NIV)So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Context of John 18:3

1When Jesus had finished praying, he and his disciples went out. They went across the Kidron valley. On the other side, there was a garden. Jesus and his disciples went into it. 2Judas, who sold Jesus to his enemies, knew the garden. He knew the place because Jesus and his disciples had met there often. The leaders of the priests and the Pharisees sent a group of soldiers and some officers with Judas. He led these soldiers and officers to the garden. The soldiers had weapons and they carried lights. 4Jesus knew everything that would soon happen to him. He went towards them and he asked them, ‘Who are you looking for?’ 5They answered, ‘Jesus, who comes from Nazareth.’ Jesus said, ‘That is who I am.’ Judas, who sold Jesus to his enemies, was standing there with the soldiers.

John 18:3 word by word

Ὁ οὖν Ἰούδας λαβὼν τὴν σπεῖραν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων ὑπηρέτας ἔρχεται ἐκεῖ μετὰ φανῶν καὶ λαμπάδων καὶ ὅπλων.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JudasἸούδαςIoudas · JudasG2455
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• having receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• a bandσπεῖραspeira · bandG4686
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• officersὑπηρέτηςhupēretēs · servantG5257
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the chief priestsἀρχιερεύςarchiereus · high-priestG749
• PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• thitherἐκεῖekei · thereG1563
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• lanternsφανόςphanos · torchG5322
• torchesλαμπάςlampas · windowG2985
• weaponsὅπλονhoplon · weaponG3696

Cross-references for John 18:3

• John 13:2Jesus and his disciples were eating supper. The Devil had already put an idea into the mind of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. The idea was to sell Jesus to his enemies.
• Matthew 26:47While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. He was one of Jesus' 12 disciples. A crowd also came with him. They were carrying swords and heavy sticks. The leaders of the priests and the important Jews had sent these people with Judas.
• Mark 14:43Jesus was still speaking when, immediately, Judas arrived. He was one of Jesus' 12 apostles. A crowd came with him. They were carrying swords and heavy sticks. The leaders of the priests, the teachers of God's Law and the important Jews had sent these men.
• Luke 22:47While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd of people came towards him. Judas led the crowd to that place. He was one of the 12 apostles. He came near to Jesus to kiss him.
• Acts 1:16‘My friends, long ago, the Holy Spirit gave King David a message to speak from God. He spoke about the things that Judas would do. Judas was the one who showed the soldiers how to catch Jesus. These things had to happen in the way that David wrote in the Bible long ago.
• John 18:12The group of soldiers, with their captain and the Jewish officers, took hold of Jesus. They tied him with ropes.
• Psalms 3:1Lord, every day I have more enemies. Many people fight against me.
• Psalms 22:12There is danger all round me, like the strong bulls of Bashan. I cannot move because my enemies are very near, all around me.

Commentaries on John 18:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3A band - , The band or troop. Some think that the spira was the same as the Roman cohort, and was the tenth part of a legion, which consisted sometimes of 4200, and sometimes of 5000 foot. But Raphelius, on Matthew 27:27, has clearly proved, from Polybius, that the spira was no more than a tenth of the fourth part of a legion. And as the number of the legion was uncertain, and their divisions not at all equal, no person can tell how many the band or spira…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3A band - See the notes at Matthew 26:47; Matthew 27:27. John passes over the agony of Jesus in the garden, probably because it was so fully described by the other evangelists. Lanterns … - This was the time of the full moon, but it might have been cloudy, and their taking lights with them shows their determination to find him.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3John’s full account of the group that arrested him adds details not mentioned in the other Gospels. The temple authorities sent Roman soldiers and temple guards. While the temple guards arrested Jesus, the Roman soldiers stood by to prevent a riot. The Roman group was large enough to need a commander. They came with weapons and were expecting a struggle (18:10, 12). Many people claimed to be the Messiah. Often, they tried to force the Romans out of the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131-3. over the brook Kedron--a deep, dark ravine, to the northeast of Jerusalem, through which flowed this small storm brook or winter torrent, and which in summer is dried up. where was a garden--at the foot of the Mount of Olives, "called Gethsemane; that is, olive press (Mt 26:30, 36).Read the comment

Topics related to John 18:3

• Jesus, the Christ
• Judas (Jude)
• Lantern
• Prisoners
• Prophecy
• Traitor

In the dictionaries

• Judge
• Resort
• Torches
• Band
• Cohort
• Jesus Christ
• Jesus Christ, the Arrest and Trial of
• John, Gospel of
• Judas Iscariot
• Lantern

Commentaries on John 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings