Section 18:12–14

The soldiers and police took Jesus to the high priest

This section tells how the Jewish and Roman authorities took Jesus to Annas the Jewish high priest for trial.

Here are other possible section headings:

Jesus was taken to the high priest
-or-
The authorities arrested Jesus and took him to Annas, the high priest
-or-
Jesus was bound and taken to the high priest

18:12a

Then the band of soldiers, with its commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus: The guards who had come to the garden arrested Jesus.

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then here introduces the next thing that happened in the story. However, it also indicates the result of Jesus being determined to drink the cup that his Father gave him. A few English translations leave the word implied. Here is another way to translate this conjunction:

So (New Revised Standard Version)

the band of soldiers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the band of soldiers refers to the detachment/group of Roman soldiers mentioned in 18:3. Refer back to them in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

the Roman soldiers (Good News Translation)
-or-
the group of soldiers

with its commander: This phrase refers to the head or chief soldier, the man who was leading the group of soldiers. For example:

their commanding officer (Good News Translation)
-or-
their captain (English Standard Version)

the officers of the Jews: The Greek noun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as officers is the same as in 18:3. The phrase the officers of the Jews is more literally “the guards of the Jews.” Translate this phrase in a way that indicates that it refers to the same temple guards mentioned in 18:3. For example:

Jewish guards (Good News Translation)
-or-
temple police (New Living Translation (2004))

arrested Jesus: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as arrested here refers to seizing/catching a person suspected of wrongdoing in order to question and punish him. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

seized Jesus (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
grabbed Jesus (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

General Comment on 18:12a

In some languages it may be natural to mention the officer in charge of the soldiers first. For example:

The Roman officer and his men, together with the temple police, arrested Jesus. (Contemporary English Version)

18:12b

and bound Him: The verb bound means “tied up.” The guards tied Jesus’ arms together, probably behind his back. For example:

They tied Jesus up. (God’s Word)

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