John 18:36

John 18:36 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Context of John 18:36

34Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?” 35Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world – to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate asked, “What is truth?” When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him.

John 18:36 word by word

Ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἦν ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμή, οἱ ὑπηρέται οἱ ἐμοὶ ἠγωνίζοντο ἵνα μὴ παραδοθῶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· νῦν δὲ ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐντεῦθεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
• Myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• then wouldἄνan · ifG302
• servantsὑπηρέτηςhupēretēs · servantG5257
• fightἀγωνίζομαιagōnizomai · to struggleG75
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I shouldπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
• notμήmē · notG3361
• to the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• butδέde · thenG1161
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• from henceἐντεῦθεν, ἔνθενenteuthen · from hereG1782

Cross-references for John 18:36

• 1 Timothy 6:13I charge you before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession before Pontius Pilate,
• John 6:15Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone.
• John 8:15You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone.
• Psalms 45:3Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! Appear in your majestic splendor!
• Isaiah 9:6For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called: Extraordinary Strategist, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• Daniel 2:44In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.
• Daniel 7:14To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.
• Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: he is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey – on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.
• Luke 12:14But Jesus said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator between you two?”
• Luke 17:20Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,
• Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Colossians 1:12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
• John 18:11But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Commentaries on John 18:36

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36My kingdom is not of this world - It is purely spiritual and Divine. If it had been of a secular nature, then my servants would have contended - they would have opposed force with force, as the kingdoms of this world do in their wars; but as my kingdom as not of this world, therefore no resistance has been made. Eusebius relates, Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 20, that "The relatives of our Lord were brought before Domitian, and interrogated whether they were…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 36My kingdom … - The charge on which Jesus was arraigned was that of laying claim to the office of a king. He here substantially admits that he did claim to be a king, but not in the sense in which the Jews understood it. They charged him with attempting to set up an earthly kingdom, and of exciting sedition against Caesar. In reply to this, Jesus says that his kingdom is not of this world - that is, it is not of the same nature as earthly kingdoms. It was…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 18:36

• Church
• Gospel
• Jesus, the Christ
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Pilate, Pontius
• Prisoners

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Agony
• Judge
• Resort
• Christ, Offices of
• Church Government
• Cohort
• God
• Jesus Christ

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