John 18:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in.

NIV: but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

NASB: but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

CSB: But Peter remained standing outside by the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who was the doorkeeper and brought Peter in.

NLT: Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.

KJV: But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

NKJV: But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.

John commonly refers to himself in the third person (John 1:35; 13:23–25; 18:15). It's possible that his mother (Matthew 20:20) was Salome (Mark 15:40; 16:1; John 19:25) and the sister of Jesus' mother Mary. Mary was related to the family of priests (Luke 1:13, 36). It's possible that John is an extended relative of the high priest, and known well enough that the gatekeeper let him come into the courtyard.

The phrasing of this verse suggests Peter hesitated while John walked right through. Since they were both there to see what would happen to Jesus, it would make sense for John to go out and bring Peter into the outdoor courtyard.

What happens next is interesting, in that the servant girl questions Peter about his relationship to Jesus, but does not seem to do so with John (John 18:17). Scholars suggest Peter might have had a distinctive accent which suggested he was from Galilee (Matthew 26:73), making the gatekeeper suspicious. She was at least curious enough to ask. Peter's response will be heartbreaking and infamous.

John 18:15–18 includes the first of Peter's predicted denials of Christ (John 13:36–38). Peter has followed the party who arrested Jesus, obviously at some distance, attempting to secretly see what will happen. Though Peter was brave in attempting to defend Jesus earlier, he shrinks in the face of danger here. Asked to admit his relationship with Christ, he lies. The unnamed disciple here is probably John, who may have been a relative of the priestly family.

Jesus is secretly, quietly arrested in the garden of Gethsemane and taken to a series of sham trials before Jewish leadership. This leads to His encounter with the local Roman governor. Jesus accepts being described as "King" but denies that His current purpose is earthly rule. A mob assembled by Jesus' enemies reject Pilate's attempt to free Jesus. In the meantime, Peter fulfills Christ's prophecy about a three-fold denial.

John's Gospel was written well after the other three, so he frequently chooses to present different details. Chapter 17 detailed Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, just before He entered the garden of Gethsemane. This chapter describes Jesus' arrest, sham trials before Jewish leadership, and the beginning of His trial before the Roman governor. In the following chapter, Jesus will be unfairly condemned, executed, and buried.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.