John 18:10

Verse

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant’s name was Malchus.

Bible in Basic English

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, took it out and gave the high priest's servant a blow, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

Free Bible Version

Then Simon Peter drew a sword and struck Malchus, the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then Simon Peter hauing a sword, drewe it, and smote the hie Priests seruant, and cut off his right eare. Nowe the seruants name was Malchus.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

Simeon Peter [Hearing Rock] 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.

Plain English Version

Then Peter got his long knife, and he hit one of those men with it, and he cut off that man’s ear. That man’s name was Malkus, and he worked for the big boss of the Jewish ceremonies.

Translation for Translators

Simon Peter had a long dagger. So he drew it and tried to kill the high priest’s servant, but he only cut off the man’s right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Now the name of the servant was Malchus.

Noah Webster Bible

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

World English Bible

Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Young's Literal Translation

Simon Peter, therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the chief priest's servant, and cut off his right ear — and the name of the servant was Malchus —

Context

The Betrayal of Jesus

⁹This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”¹⁰Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Sermons

The Appearing of Resurrection and the Giving of Power

Newman Sze

820

Homily 84 on Matthew

St. John Chrysostom

Summary

In this verse, during Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant. This action reflects Peter's attempt to defend Jesus, but it also reveals his misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and the nature of His kingdom. Jesus responds by rebuking Peter, demonstrating that His kingdom is not advanced through violence but through submission to God's will. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning our actions with the teachings and example of Jesus, even in moments of crisis and confusion.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Having a sword - See the note on Luk 22:36. Cut off his right ear - He probably designed to have cloven his scull in two, but God turned it aside, and only permitted the ear to be taken off; and this he would not have suffered, but only that he might have the opportunity of giving them a most striking proof of his Divinity in working an astonishing miracle on the occasion: see the notes on Mat 26:51-56 (note). The other three evangelists mention this transaction; but neither give the name of Peter nor of Malchus, probably because both persons were alive when they wrote; but it is likely both had been long dead before St. John published his history.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Then Simon Peter having a sword,.... Girt about him, which he either wore in common, or particularly at the feast, as the Galilaeans are said to do, to preserve them from thieves and wild beasts by the way; or was one of the two the disciples had with them in the garden; or what Peter purposely furnished himself with to defend his master, taking a hint from what was said by him, Luk 22:36; drew it; before Christ could give an answer to the question put by his disciples, whether they should smite or not, Luk 22:49; being encouraged thereunto by what Christ said, Luk 22:38; or by what he had just done in, striking the man to the ground; and being provoked by that servant's going to lay hold on Christ, and who it is probable was more forward and busy than any of the rest; for it appears from the other evangelists, that Peter did this, though he is not mentioned by name by any of the rest, just as they were seizing and apprehending Christ: and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear; he doubtless struck at his head, and intended to have cleaved him down, but missed his aim, and took off his ear: the person is particularly described, that he was a servant, and the servant of the high priest, and he is mentioned also by name; and the servant's name was Malchus; that if the truth of this relation was called in question, it might easily be looked into and examined, when it would appear that it was perfectly right. All the evangelists give an account of this action of Peter's, but none of them mention his name but this evangelist; perhaps the reason might be, that Peter was alive when the other evangelists wrote, and therefore it was not safe to say who it was that did it, lest he who was the minister of the circumcision, and dwelt among the Jews, should be persecuted for it, or their minds should be prejudiced against him on that account; but John writing his Gospel many years after his death, the reason for the concealment of his name no longer subsisted: nor indeed is the name of the high priest's servant mentioned by any other of the evangelists: John had, or however he writes, a more exact and particular account of this matter. This was a name frequent with the Syrians, Phoenicians, and Hebrews. Jerom (c) wrote the life of one Malchus, a monk or Eremite, who was by nation a Syrian; and Porphyry, that great enemy of Christianity, who was by birth a Tyrian, his original name was Malchus, as was his father's; and "which", in the Syrian, and his country dialect, as he himself (d) and others (e) say, signifies a "king". Josephus (f) speaks of one Cleodemus, whose name was Malchus, that wrote a history of the Hebrews. And some Jewish Rabbins were of this name; hence we read of , "R. Maluc" (g), and of , "R. Malcio" (h); the name is the same with Malluch, Neh 10:4. (c) Tom. I. fol. 87. (d) Porphyr. vita in Plotin. c. 17. (e) Eunapius in vita Porphyr. p. 16. (f) Antiqu. l. 1. c. 15. (g) T. Hieros. Succa, fol. 53. 3. & Bab. Bathra, fol. 16. 1. (h) T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 52. 1.

John 18:10

The Betrayal of Jesus

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

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.

American Standard Version (1901)

Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant’s name was Malchus.

Bible in Basic English

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, took it out and gave the high priest's servant a blow, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

Free Bible Version

Then Simon Peter drew a sword and struck Malchus, the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then Simon Peter hauing a sword, drewe it, and smote the hie Priests seruant, and cut off his right eare. Nowe the seruants name was Malchus.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

Simeon Peter [Hearing Rock] 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.

Plain English Version

Then Peter got his long knife, and he hit one of those men with it, and he cut off that man’s ear. That man’s name was Malkus, and he worked for the big boss of the Jewish ceremonies.

Translation for Translators

Simon Peter had a long dagger. So he drew it and tried to kill the high priest’s servant, but he only cut off the man’s right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Now the name of the servant was Malchus.

Noah Webster Bible

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

World English Bible

Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Young's Literal Translation

Simon Peter, therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the chief priest's servant, and cut off his right ear — and the name of the servant was Malchus —

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

John 18:10

Verse

Context

The Betrayal of Jesus

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

John 18:10

The Betrayal of Jesus

The Appearing of Resurrection and the Giving of Power

Homily 84 on Matthew

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes