John 18 · Verse 38

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 18:38, King James Version

John 18:38 in other translations

BSB	“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
WEB	Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
ASV	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 no crime in him.
YLT	Pilate saith to him, ‘What is truth?' and this having said, again he went forth unto the Jews, and saith to them, ‘I do find no fault in him;
DARBY	Pilate says to him, What is truth? And having said this he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, I find no fault whatever in him.
BBE	Pilate said to him, True? what is true? Having said this he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I see no wrong in him.
Webster	Pilate saith to him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them, I find in him no fault.

What does John 18:38 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.

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Barnes' Notes

Verse 38. What is truth? This question was probably asked in contempt, and hence Jesus did not answer it. Had the question been sincere, and had Pilate really sought it as Nicodemus had done (Jn 3:1), Jesus would not have hesitated to explain to him the nature of his kingdom. They were now alone in the judgment-hall (Jn 18:33), and as soon as Pilate had asked the question, without waiting for an answer, he went out. It is evident that he was satisfied, from the answer of Jesus (Jn 18:36,37), that he was not a king in the sense in which the Jews accused him; that he would not endanger the Roman government, and consequently that he was innocent of the charge alleged against him. He regarded him, clearly, as a fanatic--poor, ignorant, and deluded, but innocent and not dangerous. Hence he sought to release him; and hence, in contempt, he asked him this question, and immediately went out, not expecting an answer. This question had long agitated the world. It was the great subject of inquiry in all the schools of the Greeks. Different sects of philosophers had held different opinions, and Pilate now, in derision, asked him, whom he esteemed an ignorant fanatic, whether he could solve this long-agitated question. He might have had an answer. Had he patiently waited in sincerity, Jesus would have told him what it was. Thousands ask the question in the same way. They have a fixed contempt for the Bible; they deride the instructions of religion; they are unwilling to investigate and to wait at the gates of wisdom; and hence, like Pilate, they remain ignorant of the great Source of truth, and die in darkness and in error. All might find truth if they would seek it; none ever will find it if they do not apply for it to the great source of light--the God of truth, and seek it patiently in the way in which he has chosen to communicate it to mankind. How highly should we prize the Bible! And how patiently and prayerfully should we search the Scriptures, that we may not err and die for ever! Jn 14:6.

I find in him no fault. See Lk 23:4.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 38 What is truth - Among the sages of that time there were many opinions concerning truth; and some had even supposed that it was a thing utterly out of the reach of men. Pilate perhaps might have asked the question in a mocking way; and his not staying to get an answer indicated that he either despaired of getting a satisfactory one, or that he was indifferent about it. This is the case with thousands: they appear desirous of knowing the truth, but have not patience to wait in a proper way to receive an answer to their question. I find in him no fault - Having asked the above question, and being convinced of our Lord's innocence, he went out to the Jews to testify his convictions and to deliver him, if possible, out of their hands.

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 18:38 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.

ΛέγειLegeiSaysG3004

αὐτῷautōto HimG846

ὁho<the>G3588

Πιλᾶτος·PilatosPilate;G4091

τίtiWhatG5101

ἐστινestinisG1510

ἀλήθεια;alētheiatruth?G225

καὶkaiAndG2532

τοῦτοtoutothisG3778

εἰπὼνeipōnhaving saidG2036

πάλινpalinagainG3825

ἐξῆλθενexēlthenhe went outG1831

πρὸςprostoG4314

τοὺςtoustheG3588

ἸουδαίουςIoudaiousJewsG2453

καὶkaiandG2532

λέγειlegeisaysG3004

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846

ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473

οὐδεμίανoudemianno [thing]G3762

εὑρίσκωheuriskōfindG2147

ἐνeninG1722

αὐτῷautōHimG846

αἰτίαν.aitianguilt.G156

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

Cross references for John 18:38

John 19:4
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
John 19:6
When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
Luke 23:4
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man.
Acts 17:32
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
Acts 24:25-26
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
1 Peter 2:22-23
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1 Peter 1:19
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Matthew 27:18-19
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
Luke 23:14-16
Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
Acts 17:19-20
And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
John 19:21-22
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

What.
Ac 17:19,20,32; 24:25,26
I find.
19:4,6,21,22; Mt 27:18,19,24; Mr 15:14; Lu 23:4,14-16; 1Pe 1:19
1Pe 2:22,23

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

Context

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 18:39
But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

Read all of John 18

John 18:38 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Dícele Pilato: ¿Qué cosa es verdad? Y como hubo dicho esto, salió otra vez á los Judíos, y díceles: Yo no hallo en él ningún crimen.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Pilate lui dit: Qu’est-ce que la vérité? Et ayant dit cela, il sortit encore vers les Juifs; et il leur dit: Moi, je ne trouve aucun crime en lui;
German Elberfelder 1871	Pilatus spricht zu ihm: Was ist Wahrheit? Und als er dies gesagt hatte, ging er wieder zu den Juden hinaus und spricht zu ihnen: Ich finde keinerlei Schuld an ihm;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dicit ei Pilatus: Quid est veritas? Et cum hoc dixisset, iterum exivit ad Judæos, et dicit eis: Ego nullam invenio in eo causam.