John 18 · Verse 36

John 18:36

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.
John 18:36, King James Version

John 18:36 in other translations

BSBJesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
WEBJesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
ASVJesus 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.
YLTJesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my officers had struggled that I might not be delivered up to Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence.'
DARBYJesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my servants had fought that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence.
BBEJesus said in answer, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom was of this world, my disciples would have made a good fight to keep me out of the hands of the Jews: but my kingdom is not here.
WebsterJesus 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.

What does John 18:36 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 18:33-38

33-38. 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 full comment on John 18:33-38 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 36. My kingdom, &c. 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 not originated for the same purpose, or conducted on the same plan. He immediately adds a circumstance in which they differ. The kingdoms of the world are defended by arms; they maintain armies and engage in wars. If the kingdom of Jesus had been of this kind, he would have excited the multitudes that followed him to prepare for battle. He would have armed the hosts that attended him to Jerusalem. He would not have been alone and unarmed in the garden of Gethsemane. But though he was a king, yet his dominion was over the heart, subduing evil passions and corrupt desires, and bringing the soul to the love of peace and unity.

Not from hence. That is, not from this world.

(x) "answered" 1Timm 6:13 (y) "My kingdom" Ps 45:3,6, Isa 9:6,7, Dan 2:44, 7:14, Zech 9:9, Lk 12:14 Jn 6:15, Rom 14:17, Col 1:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 36 My 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 of the family of David; and what sort the kingdom of Christ was, and where it would appear? They answered, that this kingdom was neither of this world, nor of an earthly nature; that it was altogether heavenly and angelical; and that it would not take place till the end of the world."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 18:33-40

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…

Read the full comment on John 18:33-40 →

John 18:36 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
Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424
ἡhēTheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
ἡhē<the>G3588
ἐμὴemēof MineG1473
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἐκekofG1537
τοῦtou<the>G3588
κόσμουkosmouworldG2889
τούτου·toutouthis;G3778
εἰeiifG1487
ἐκekofG1537
τοῦtou<the>G3588
κόσμουkosmouworldG2889
τούτουtoutouthisG3778
ἦνēnwereG1510
ἡhē<the>G3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
ἡhē<the>G3588
ἐμή,emēof Mine,G1473
οἱhoi<the>G3588
ὑπηρέταιhupēretaiattendantsG5257
οἱhoi<the>G3588
ἐμοὶemoiof MineG1473
ἠγωνίζοντοēgōnizontothey were fightingG75
ἂνanthen wouldG302
ἵναinathatG2443
μὴmēnotG3361
παραδοθῶparadothōI may be betrayedG3860
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
Ἰουδαίοις·IoudaioisJews;G2453
νῦνnunNowG3568
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἡhē<the>G3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
ἡhē<the>G3588
ἐμὴemēof MineG1473
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἐντεῦθεν.¶enteuthenfrom here.G1782

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

Cross references for John 18:36

  • Luke 17:20-21

    And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

  • Colossians 1:12-14

    Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

  • John 6:15

    When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

  • Romans 14:17

    For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

  • Daniel 2:44

    And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

  • Daniel 7:14

    And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

  • Zechariah 9:9

    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

  • 1 Timothy 6:13

    I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

  • Matthew 26:53

    Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

  • John 8:15

    Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

  • Luke 12:14

    And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

  • Isaiah 9:6-7

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jesus.
1Ti 6:13
My kingdom is.
6:15; 8:15; Ps 45:3-7; Isa 9:6,7; Da 2:44; 7:14; Zec 9:9; Lu 12:14
Lu 17:20,21; Ro 14:17; Col 1:12-14
then.
11

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

Context

  • John 18:35

    Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

  • John 18:36

    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.

  • John 18:37

    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.

Read all of John 18

John 18:36 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Respondió Jesús: Mi reino no es de este mundo: si de este mundo fuera mi reino, mis servidores pelearían para que yo no fuera entregado á los Judíos: ahora, pues, mi reino no es de aquí.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Jésus répondit: Mon royaume n’est pas de ce monde. Si mon royaume était de ce monde, mes serviteurs auraient combattu, afin que je ne sois pas livré aux Juifs; mais maintenant mon royaume n’est pas d’ici.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Jesus antwortete: Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt; wenn mein Reich von dieser Welt wäre, so hätten meine Diener gekämpft, auf daß ich den Juden nicht überliefert würde; jetzt aber ist mein Reich nicht von hier.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Respondit Jesus: Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Si ex hoc mundo esset regnum meum, ministri mei utique decertarent ut non traderer Judæis: nunc autem regnum meum non est hinc.