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, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. 39But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?”

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

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• PilateΠιλᾶτοςPilatos · PilateG4091
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to Him, “Soοὐκοῦνoukoun · soG3766
• You are a kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• You sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• that I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• For thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• I have been bornγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• I have comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• into the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• to testifyμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
• to the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• Everyoneπᾶςpas · allG3956
• hearsἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• My voiceφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: voiceG5456

Cross-references for John 18:37

• Matthew 26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• Matthew 27:11Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”
• Mark 14:62And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
• Mark 15:2Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.”
• Luke 23:3So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”
• 1 Timothy 6:13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
• John 8:14Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
• John 14:6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
• Isaiah 55:4Behold, I have made him a witness to the peoples, A leader and commander for the peoples.
• Revelation 1:4John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,
• Revelation 3:14“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
• John 7:17If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
• John 8:47He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
• John 10:26But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.
• 1 Peter 1:22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
• 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides 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