Christian Standard Bible
John 19:12
12From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
John 19:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar.
- New International Version (NIV)From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."
- New King James Version (NKJV)From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Context of John 19:12
10So Pilate said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” 11“You would have no authority over me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” From that moment Pilate kept trying to release him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” 13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s seat in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic, Gabbatha). 14It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about noon. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”
Read all of John 19John 19:12 word by word
ἐκ τούτου ὁ Πιλᾶτος ἐζήτει ἀπολῦσαι αὐτόν.¶ Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐκραύγασαν λέγοντες· ἐὰν τοῦτον ἀπολύσῃς, οὐκ εἶ φίλος τοῦ Καίσαρος. πᾶς ὁ βασιλέα ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν ἀντιλέγει τῷ Καίσαρι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- And fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- thenceforthοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- PilateΠιλᾶτοςPilatos · PilateG4091
- sought toζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- releaseἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- butδέde · thenG1161
- the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- cried outκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- thou artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- Cesar’sΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
- friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
- whosoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
- makethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- a kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
- speaketh againstἀντιλέγωantilegō · to disputeG483
Cross-references for John 19:12
- Mark 6:16When Herod heard of it, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!”
- Acts 24:24Several days later, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus.
- John 18:33Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
- Luke 23:2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”
- Acts 17:6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too,
Commentaries on John 19:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Pilate sought to release him - Pilate made five several attempts to release our Lord; as we may learn from Luke 23:4, Luke 23:15, Luke 23:20, Luke 23:22; John 19:4, John 19:12, John 19:13. Thou art not Caesar's friend - Thou dost not act like a person who has the interest of the emperor at heart. Ambassadors, prefects, counsellors, etc., were generally termed the friends of the emperor. This insinuation determined Pilate to make no longer resistance: he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Sought to release him - He was more and more convinced of his innocence, and more unwilling to yield him to mere malice and envy in the face of justice. But the Jews cried out - This moved Pilate to deliver Jesus into their hands. He feared that he would be accused of unfaithfulness to the interests of the Roman emperor if he did not condemn a man whom his own nation had accused of sedition. The Roman emperor then on the throne was exceedingly jealous…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Pilate tried to release Jesus each time they talked. Despite his efforts, he failed. friend of Caesar: This was an official title for those, like senators, who showed great loyalty to the Roman emperor. The Jewish religious leaders implied they would damage Pilate's career by claiming he did not support Rome's interests. They probably knew that Pilate was also having a personal crisis. Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, was the chief administrator of the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1612-16. And from thenceforth--particularly this speech, which seems to have filled him with awe, and redoubled his anxiety. Pilate sought to release him--that is, to gain their consent to it, for he could have done it at once on his authority. but the Jews cried--seeing their advantage, and not slow to profit by it. If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend, &c.--"This was equivalent to a threat of impeachment, which we know was much dreaded by…Read the comment
Topics related to John 19:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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