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.
John 18:37 in other translations
| BSB | “Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” |
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| WEB | Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” |
| ASV | Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. |
| YLT | Pilate, therefore, said to him, ‘Art thou then a king?' Jesus answered, ‘Thou dost say it; because a king I am, I for this have been born, and for this I have come to the world, that I may testify to the truth; every one who is of the truth, doth hear my voice.' |
| DARBY | Pilate therefore said to him, Thou art then a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest it, that I am a king. I have been born for this, and for this I have come into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice. |
| BBE | Then Pilate said to him, Are you then a king? Jesus made answer, You say that I am a king. For this purpose was I given birth, and for this purpose I came into the world, that I might give witness to what is true. Every lover of what is true gives ear to my voice. |
| Webster | Pilate therefore said to 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 testify to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. |
What does John 18:37 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.
Barnes' Notes
Thou sayest, &c. 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, and do not deny it.
To this end, &c. Comp. Jn 3:11,12, &c. Jesus does not here affirm that he was born to reign, or that this was the design of his coming; but it was to bear witness to and to exhibit the truth. By this he showed what was the nature of his kingdom. It was not to assert power; not to collect armies; not to subdue nations in battle. It was simply to present truth to men, and to exercise dominion only by the truth. Hence the only power put forth in restraining the wicked, in convincing the sinner, in converting the heart, in guiding and leading his people, and in sanctifying them, is that which is produced by applying truth to the mind. Men are not forced or compelled to be Christians. They are made to see that they are sinners, that God is merciful, that they need a Redeemer, and that the Lord Jesus is fitted to their case, and yield themselves then wholly to his reign. This is all the power ever used in the kingdom of Christ, and no men in his church have a right to use any other. Alas! how little have persecutors remembered this! And how often, under the pretence of great regard for the kingdom of Jesus, have bigots attempted by force and flames to make all men think as they do! We see here the importance which Jesus attached to truth. It was his sole business in coming into the world, He had no other end than to establish it. We therefore should value it, and seek for it as for hid treasures, Prov 23:23.
Every one, &c. See Jn 8:47.
(z) "I should bear witness" Isa 55:4, Rev 1:5, 3:14 (a) "Every one that is of the truth" Jn 8:47, 1Jn 4:6
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
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…
John 18:37 in the original Greek
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Cross references for John 18:37
- 1 John 4:6
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- John 8:47
He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
- John 8:14
Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
- John 10:26-27
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- 1 John 3:19
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
- John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Isaiah 55:4
Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
- John 7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
- Luke 23:3
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
- Mark 15:2
And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
- 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;
- 1 Peter 1:22
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- 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.
- John 18:38
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
John 18:37 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Díjole entonces Pilato: ¿Luego rey eres tú? Respondió Jesús: Tú dices que yo soy rey. Yo para esto he nacido, y para esto he venido al mundo, para dar testimonio á la verdad. Todo aquél que es de la verdad, oye mi voz. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Pilate donc lui dit: Tu es donc roi? Jésus répondit: Tu le dis que moi je suis roi. Moi, je suis né pour ceci, et c’est pour ceci que je suis venu dans le monde, afin de rendre témoignage à la vérité. Quiconque est de la vérité, écoute ma voix. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm: Also du bist ein König? Jesus antwortete: Du sagst es, daß ich ein König bin. Ich bin dazu geboren und dazu in die Welt gekommen, auf daß ich der Wahrheit Zeugnis gebe. Jeder, der aus der Wahrheit ist, hört meine Stimme. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Dixit itaque ei Pilatus: Ergo rex es tu? Respondit Jesus: Tu dicis quia rex sum ego. Ego in hoc natus sum, et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut testimonium perhibeam veritati: omnis qui est ex veritate, audit vocem meam. |