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

35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” 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.” 38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘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

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 replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• Matthew 27:11Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
• Mark 14:62Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
• Mark 15:2Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
• Luke 23:3So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
• 1 Timothy 6:13And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate,
• John 8:14Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me.
• John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
• Isaiah 55:4See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations.
• Revelation 1:4This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne;
• Revelation 3:14“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
• John 7:17Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
• John 8:47Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
• John 10:26But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep.
• 1 Peter 1:22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
• 1 John 3:14If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.

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