Early in the morning (Revised Standard Version “early”; Jerusalem Bible “morning”; Moffatt, New English Bible “early morning”; New American Bible “at daybreak”) translates one word in Greek (proi). This is a technical term, referring to the last Roman division (or “watch”) of the night, from three to six in the morning. If the questioning before the High Priest (18.19-23) lasted until three and Jesus was then several hours before Caiaphas (18.24), he may have been taken to Pilate around six in the morning.
Jesus was taken translates “They take Jesus” of the Greek text. The second sentence in this verse (they wanted to keep themselves ritually clean, in order to be able to eat the Passover meal) makes clear that Jews are meant. Some Roman soldiers may have been included in the escort.
In many languages a passive or impersonal construction is impossible, and the pronoun “they” would be misleading, since it could refer to those who had been questioning Peter. It may be best to say “The Jewish authorities took Jesus” or “The Jewish authorities ordered Jesus taken.” In some languages, however, the verb “take” is too general in this context, and it is necessary to use a more specific term, for example, “the guards led Jesus from Caiaphas’ house to the governor’s palace.”
From Caiaphas’ house (so also Barclay) is literally “from Caiaphas.” Moffatt, Revised Standard Version, and Jerusalem Bible render “from the house of Caiaphas.”
The governor’s palace (New English Bible “the Governor’s headquarters”; Goodspeed “the governor’s house”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the palace of the Roman Governor”) translates a Greek word transliterated praetorium in several translations (Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt). In New Testament times the word was used of the official residence of a Roman governor. Normally, the governor of Judea lived in Caesarea (note Acts 23.33-35), but on the occasion of important feasts he would go to Jerusalem to keep down disturbances or popular uprisings. There is no unanimous agreement as to the precise building referred to. It may have been the palace of Herod in the western part of the city, but some recent scholars argue that it was the fortress of Antonia, north of Temple area. In some languages there is no special term such as palace for the dwelling of an important ruler. However, one can say “the governor’s large house” or “the large house where the governor stayed.”
The Jewish authorities translates “they” of the Greek text. As indicated above, the references to being ritually clean and to the Passover meal make clear that Jews are meant. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New English Bible, Barclay translate “the Jews.”
The word palace translates the same word rendered governor’s palace above.
Because they wanted to keep themselves ritually clean (Barclay “They did not want to risk being ceremonially defiled”; New American Bible “for they had to avoid ritual impurity”) is more literally “so that they might not be defiled” (Revised Standard Version). The reference is specifically to ritual impurity, and some translators make this information explicit. “To keep oneself ritually clean” is expressed in some languages in an idiomatic form, for example, “to keep dirt away from oneself” or “to prevent spots from coming upon a person.” However, in general, a desire to be preserved ritually pure or uncontaminated is expressed in a negative attitude toward defilement—literally, “they didn’t want to be defiled,” for example, “they didn’t want to be thought of as sinners” or “they didn’t want to be contaminated” or, as expressed in one language, “they didn’t want to smell like Gentiles.”
To eat the Passover meal is literally “to eat the passover.” It was important for a Jew not to become ritually unclean, because he would then have to postpone celebration of the Passover for a month (see Num 9.9-11). To eat the Passover meal may be expressed in some languages as “to have a share in the Passover festival” or “to be a part of the Passover festival.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .