John 18:26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

So Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.

A few minutes afterward the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are surely one of them, too, for your accent gives you away."

But he denied it again. And again a few minutes later the bystanders began to say to Peter, "You are surely one of them, for you are a Galilean too."

About an hour later another man emphatically asserted, "He certainly was with Him, for he is a Galilean!"

So Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus.

Then Simon Peter came running up behind him, and he went inside, and saw the bandages lying on the ground,

Because he saw one of them being mistreated, he defended and avenged the man who was suffering ill-treatment by striking down the Egyptian.