New International Version
John 18:37
37“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
Context of John 18:37
35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” 36Jesus 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.” “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.” 38“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
Read all of John 18John 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 26:64“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- Matthew 27:11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Mark 14:62“I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- Mark 15:2“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Luke 23:3So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- 1 Timothy 6:13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you
- John 8:14Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
- John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- Isaiah 55:4See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.
- Revelation 1:4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
- Revelation 3:14“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
- John 7:17Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
- John 8:47Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- John 10:26but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
- 1 Peter 1:22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
- 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not 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
In the dictionaries
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
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