New Living Translation
John 19:12
12Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”
John 19:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar.
- New International Version (NIV)From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar."
- New King James Version (NKJV)From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Context of John 19:12
10“Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” 11Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.” 13When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). 14It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Look, here is your king!”
Read all of John 19John 19:12 word by word
ἐκ τούτου ὁ Πιλᾶτος ἐζήτει ἀπολῦσαι αὐτόν.¶ Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐκραύγασαν λέγοντες· ἐὰν τοῦτον ἀπολύσῃς, οὐκ εἶ φίλος τοῦ Καίσαρος. πᾶς ὁ βασιλέα ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν ἀντιλέγει τῷ Καίσαρι.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- And fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- thenceforthοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- PilateΠιλᾶτοςPilatos · PilateG4091
- sought toζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- releaseἀπολύωapoluō · to release: releaseG630
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- butδέde · thenG1161
- the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- cried outκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- thou artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- Cesar’sΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
- friendφίλοςphilos · friendly/friendG5384
- whosoeverπᾶςpas · allG3956
- makethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- a kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
- speaketh againstἀντιλέγωantilegō · to disputeG483
Cross-references for John 19:12
- Mark 6:16When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”
- Acts 24:24A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.
- John 18:33Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.
- Luke 23:2They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
- Acts 17:6Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.
Commentaries on John 19:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Pilate sought to release him - Pilate made five several attempts to release our Lord; as we may learn from Luke 23:4, Luke 23:15, Luke 23:20, Luke 23:22; John 19:4, John 19:12, John 19:13. Thou art not Caesar's friend - Thou dost not act like a person who has the interest of the emperor at heart. Ambassadors, prefects, counsellors, etc., were generally termed the friends of the emperor. This insinuation determined Pilate to make no longer resistance: he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Sought to release him - He was more and more convinced of his innocence, and more unwilling to yield him to mere malice and envy in the face of justice. But the Jews cried out - This moved Pilate to deliver Jesus into their hands. He feared that he would be accused of unfaithfulness to the interests of the Roman emperor if he did not condemn a man whom his own nation had accused of sedition. The Roman emperor then on the throne was exceedingly jealous…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Pilate tried to release Jesus each time they talked. Despite his efforts, he failed. friend of Caesar: This was an official title for those, like senators, who showed great loyalty to the Roman emperor. The Jewish religious leaders implied they would damage Pilate's career by claiming he did not support Rome's interests. They probably knew that Pilate was also having a personal crisis. Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, was the chief administrator of the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1612-16. And from thenceforth--particularly this speech, which seems to have filled him with awe, and redoubled his anxiety. Pilate sought to release him--that is, to gain their consent to it, for he could have done it at once on his authority. but the Jews cried--seeing their advantage, and not slow to profit by it. If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend, &c.--"This was equivalent to a threat of impeachment, which we know was much dreaded by…Read the comment
Topics related to John 19:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 19
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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