Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave.
Parallel translations
- WEB Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
- KJV Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
- BSB Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
- NKJV Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
- NASB Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Peter draws a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant, Malchus. His zeal is misdirected and resists God's plan.
Overview
John alone names both Peter and Malchus. Peter's violent defense, though courageous, misunderstands the nature of Jesus' kingdom and the necessity of the cross. The other Gospels record that Jesus heals the ear (Luke 22:51). The incident shows the disciples' confusion about how the Messiah's victory would come, not by the sword but by willing sacrifice.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Mark 14:47But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
- Matt 26:51–54Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear.
- Luke 22:49–51When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
- John 18:26One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
- Mark 14:30Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
- Luke 22:33He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”
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John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
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Original language
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