Annas

Annas is the high priest Jesus meets before anyone else on the night of His arrest. John 18:13 says soldiers “led him away to Annas first,” for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Luke 3:2 names them together when John the Baptist begins to preach, and in Acts 4:6 the same two are present when Peter and John are questioned in Jerusalem. The Gospels do not explain how two men held the office in one season. They simply show the family at the centre of every hearing. Read John 18:12-24.

5 verses

Luke

Luke 3:2

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

John

John 18:13

And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

John 18:19

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

John 18:24

Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

Acts

Acts 4:6

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Was high priest A.D. 7-14. In A.D. 25 Caiaphas, who had married the daughter of Annas (John 18:13), was raised to that office, and probably Annas was now made president of the Sanhedrim, or deputy or coadjutor of the high priest, and thus was also called high priest along with Caiaphas (Luke 3:2). By the Mosaic law the high-priesthood was held for life (Num. 3:10); and although Annas had been deposed by the Roman procurator, the Jews may still have regarded him as legally the high priest. Our Lord was first brought before Annas, and after a brief questioning of him (John 18:19-23) was sent to Caiaphas, when some members of the Sanhedrim had met, and the first trial of Jesus took place (Matt. 26:57-68). This examination of our Lord before Annas is recorded only by John. Annas was president of the Sanhedrim before which Peter and John were brought (Acts 4:6).

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(humble), the son of one Seth was appointed high priest A.D. 7 by Quirinus, the imperial governor of Syria, but was obliged by Valerius Gratus, procurator of Judea, to give way to Ismael, son of Phabi, at the beginning of the reign of Tiberius, A.D. 14. About A.D. 25 Joseph Caiaphas, son-in-law of An-nas, became high priest, (John 18:13) but in Luke 3:2 Annas and Caiaphas are both called high priests. Our Lord’s first hearing, (John 18:13) was before Annas, who then sent him bound to Caiaphas. Some maintain that the two, Annas and Caiaphas, were together at the head of the Jewish people,--Caiaphas as actual high priest, Annas as resident of the Sanhedrin- (Acts 4:6) Others again suppose that Annas held the office of sagin , or substitute of the high priest; others still that Annas held the title and was really the ruling power. He lived to old age, having had five sons high priests.