John 18:37

John 18:37 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
• New International Version (NIV)“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Context of John 18:37

35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn’t have its origin on earth.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus replied, “You’re correct in saying that I’m a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I don’t find this man guilty of anything. 39You have a custom that I should free one person for you at Passover. Would you like me to free the king of the Jews for you?”

John 18:37 word by word

Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Πιλᾶτος· οὐκοῦν βασιλεὺς εἶ σύ; ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς· σὺ λέγεις ὅτι βασιλεύς εἰμι ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. πᾶς ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκούει μου τῆς φωνῆς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• PilateΠιλᾶτοςPilatos · PilateG4091
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• a kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• thenοὐκοῦνoukoun · soG3766
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• sayestλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• this endοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• wasγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• came Iἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I should bear witnessμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• unto the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• Every oneπᾶςpas · allG3956
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• hearethἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456

Cross-references for John 18:37

• Matthew 26:64Jesus answered him, “Yes, I am. But I alone can guarantee that from now on you will see the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne . He will be coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• Matthew 27:11Jesus stood in front of the governor, ⌞Pilate⌟. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus answered.
• Mark 14:62Jesus answered, “Yes, I am, and you will see the Son of Man in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. He will be coming with the clouds of heaven.”
• Mark 15:2Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus answered him.
• Luke 23:3Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, I am,” Jesus answered.
• 1 Timothy 6:13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony in front of Pontius Pilate,
• John 8:14Jesus replied to them, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is true because I know where I came from and where I’m going. However, you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going.
• John 14:6Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.
• Isaiah 55:4I made him a witness to people, a leader and a commander for people.
• Revelation 1:4From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Good will and peace to you from the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne,
• Revelation 3:14“To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: The amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the source of God’s creation, says:
• John 7:17Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.
• John 8:47The person who belongs to God understands what God says. You don’t understand because you don’t belong to God.”
• John 10:26However, you don’t believe because you’re not my sheep.
• 1 Peter 1:22Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other.
• 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love other believers. The person who doesn’t grow in love remains in death.

Commentaries on John 18:37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 37Thou sayest - A common form of expression for, yes, it is so. I was born into the world that I might set up and maintain a spiritual government: but this government is established in and by truth. All that love truth, hear my voice and attend to the spiritual doctrines I preach. It is by truth alone that I influence the minds and govern the manners of my subjects.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37Art thou a king then? - Dost thou admit the charge in any sense, or dost thou lay claim to a kingdom of any kind? Thou sayest … - This is a form of expression denoting affirmation. It is equivalent to yes. That I am a king - This does not mean simply that Pilate affirmed that he was a king; it does not appear that he had done this; but it means, “Thou affirmest the truth; thou declarest what is correct, for I am a king.” I am a king in a certain sense…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-40Verses 33-40 Art thou the King of the Jews? that King of the Jews who has been so long expected? Messiah the Prince; art thou he? Dost thou call thyself so, and wouldest thou be thought so? Christ answered this question with another; not for evasion, but that Pilate might consider what he did. He never took upon him any earthly power, never were any traitorous principles or practices laid to him. Christ gave an account of the nature of his kingdom. Its…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 36-37Jesus was willing to accept the title of king, but he made it clear that he did not govern an earthly kingdom that might rival Rome. The kingship of Jesus is not of this world. Rather than being a political ruler, he rules through the devotion and obedience of his followers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33-3833-38. Pilate ... called Jesus, and said ... Art thou the King of the Jews?--In Lu 23:2 they charge our Lord before Pilate with "perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that He Himself is Christ a king." Perhaps this was what occasioned Pilate's question.Read the comment

Topics related to John 18:37

• Faith
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pilate, Pontius
• Prisoners
• Slander
• Truth
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Pilate; Pontius
• Pilate
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Judge
• Resort
• Cause
• Christ, Offices of
• Cohort
• End

Commentaries on John 18

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings