John 18 · Verse 20

John 18:20

Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
John 18:20, King James Version

John 18:20 in other translations

BSB“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
WEBJesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet. I said nothing in secret.
ASVJesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing.
YLTJesus answered him, ‘I spake freely to the world, I did always teach in a synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews do always come together; and in secret I spake nothing;
DARBYJesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I taught always in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have spoken nothing.
BBEJesus made answer, I said things openly to the world at all times; I have given my teaching in the Synagogues and in the Temple to which all the Jews come; and I have said nothing secretly.
WebsterJesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

What does John 18:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 18:19-21

19-21. The high priest ... asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine--probably to entrap Him into some statements which might be used against Him at the trial. From our Lord's answer it would seem that "His disciples" were understood to be some secret party. (Also see on Mr 14:54.)

Read the full comment on John 18:19-21 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Openly to the world. If his doctrine had tended to excite sedition and tumult, if he had aimed to overthrow the government, he would have trained his friends in secret; he would have retired from public view, and would have laid his plans in private. This is the case with all who attempt to subvert existing establishments. Instead of that, he had proclaimed his views to all. He had done it in every place of public concourse--in the synagogue and in the temple. He here speaks the language of one conscious of innocence and determined to insist on his rights.

Always resort. Constantly assemble. They were required to assemble there three times in a year, and great multitudes were there constantly.

In secret, &c. He had taught no private or concealed doctrine. He had taught nothing to his disciples which he had not himself taught in public and commanded them to do, Mt 10:27, Lk 12:3.

(n) "I spoke openly to the world" Lk 4:15, Jn 7:14,26,28, 8:2 (o) "in secret have I said nothing" Acts 26:26

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 I spake openly to the world - To every person in the land indiscriminately - to the people at large: the τῳ κοσμῳ, here, is tantamount to the French tout le monde, all the world, i.e. every person within reach. This is another proof that St. John uses the term world to mean the Jewish people only; for it is certain our Lord did not preach to the Gentiles. The answer of our Lord, mentioned in this and the following verse, is such as became a person conscious of his own innocence, and confident in the righteousness of his cause. I have taught in the temple, in the synagogues, in all the principal cities, towns, and villages, and through all the country. I have had no secret school. You and your emissaries have watched me every where. No doctrine has ever proceeded from my lips, but what was agreeable to the righteousness of the law and the purity of God. My disciples, when they have taught, have taught in the same way, and had the same witnesses. Ask those who have attended our public ministrations, and hear whether they can prove that I or my disciples have preached any false doctrines, have ever troubled society, or disturbed the state. Attend to the ordinary course of justice, call witnesses, let them make their depositions, and then proceed to judge according to the evidence brought before you.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 18:13-27

Simon Peter denied his Master. The particulars have been noticed in the remarks on the other Gospels. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. The sin of lying is a fruitful sin; one lie needs another to support it, and that another. If a call to expose ourselves to danger be clear, we may hope God will enable us to honour him; if it be not, we may fear that God will leave us to shame ourselves. They…

Read the full comment on John 18:13-27 →

John 18:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēAnsweredG611
αὐτῷautōto himG846
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
παρρησίᾳparrēsiaopenlyG3954
λελάληκαlelalēkahave spokenG2980
τῷtōto theG3588
κόσμῳ.kosmōworld.G2889
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
πάντοτεpantotealwaysG3842
ἐδίδαξαedidaxataughtG1321
ἐνeninG1722
συναγωγῇsunagōgēasynagogueG4864
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ἱερῷhi'erōtempleG2411
ὅπουhopouwhereG3699
πάντεςpantesallG3956
οἱhoitheG3588
ἸουδαῖοιIoudaioiJewsG2453
συνέρχονται,sunerchontaicome together,G4905
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνeninG1722
κρυπτῷkruptōsecretG2927
ἐλάλησαelalēsaI spokeG2980
οὐδέν.oudennot [anything].G3762

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 18:20

  • John 7:26

    But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?

  • Isaiah 48:16

    Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

  • Matthew 4:23

    And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

  • Luke 21:37

    And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

  • Matthew 26:55

    In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

  • John 7:4

    For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

  • Isaiah 45:19

    I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

  • Luke 4:15

    And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

  • Matthew 9:35

    And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

  • John 8:26

    I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

  • John 7:14

    Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.

  • Luke 20:1-8

    And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders, And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I spake.
7:14,26,28; 8:2; 10:23-39; Ps 22:22; 40:9; Mt 4:23; 9:35; 21:23-27
Mt 26:65; Lu 4:15; 19:45-47; 20:1-8; 21:37
and in.
7:4; Isa 45:19; 48:16; Mt 24:26; Ac 26:26

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 18:19

    The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.

  • John 18:20

    Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

  • John 18:21

    Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

Read all of John 18

John 18:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Jesús le respondió: Yo manifiestamente he hablado al mundo: yo siempre he enseñado en la sinagoga y en el templo, donde se juntan todos los Judíos, y nada he hablado en oculto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Jésus lui répondit: Moi, j’ai ouvertement parlé au monde; j’ai toujours enseigné dans la synagogue, et dans le temple où tous les Juifs s’assemblent, et je n’ai rien dit en secret.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus antwortete ihm: Ich habe öffentlich zu der Welt geredet; ich habe allezeit in der Synagoge und in dem Tempel gelehrt, wo alle Juden zusammenkommen, und im Verborgenen habe ich nichts geredet;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Respondit ei Jesus: Ego palam locutus sum mundo: ego semper docui in synagoga, et in templo, quo omnes Judæi conveniunt, et in occulto locutus sum nihil.