Matthew 27 · Verse 11

Matthew 27:11

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
Matthew 27:11, King James Version

Matthew 27:11 in other translations

BSBMeanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
WEBNow Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “So you say.”
ASVNow Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
YLTAnd Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor did question him, saying, ‘Art thou the king of the Jews!' And Jesus said to him, ‘Thou sayest.'
DARBYBut Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor questioned him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest.
BBEAnd Jesus was before the ruler, who put a question to him, Are you the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, You say so.
WebsterAnd Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, Thou sayest.

What does Matthew 27:11 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. And Jesus stood before the governor. Many things are omitted by Matthew in the account of this trial, which are recorded by the other evangelists. A much more full account is found in Jn 18:28-40.

And the governor asked him, etc. This question was asked on account of the charge which the Jews brought against Jesus, of "perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar," Lk 23:2. It was on this charge that, after consultation, they had agreed to arraign him before Pilate. They had condemned him for blasphemy; but they well knew that Pilate would altogether disregard an accusation of that kind. They therefore attempted to substitute a totally different accusation from that on which they had professed to find him guilty; to excite the jealousy of the Roman governor, and to procure his death on a false charge of treason against the Roman emperor.

Thou sayest. That is, thou sayest right, or thou sayest the truth. We may wonder why the Jews, if they heard this confession, did not press it upon the attention of Pilate as a full confession of his guilt. It was what they had accused him of. But it might be doubtful whether, in the confusion, they heard the confession; or, if they did, Jesus took away all occasion of triumph by explaining to Pilate the nature of his kingdom, Jn 18:36. Though he acknowledged that he was a king, yet he stated fully that his kingdom was not of this world, and that therefore it could not be alleged against him as treason against the Roman emperor. This was done in the palace, apart from the Jews; and fully satisfied Pilate of his innocence, Jn 18:38.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 Before the governor - My old MS. English Bible translates ηγημων Meyr cheef justyse, Presedent. Art thou the King of the Jews? - The Jews had undoubtedly delivered him to Pilate as one who was rising up against the imperial authority, and assuming the regal office. See on Mat 27:2 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 27:11-25
Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas. Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler and portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upon the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Christ suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. How vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office bound to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answered in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others, except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners reject salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 27:11 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἐστάθηestathēstoodG2476
ἔμπροσθενemprosthenbeforeG1715
τοῦtoutheG3588
ἡγεμόνος·hēgemonosgovernor;G2232
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπηρώτησενepērōtēsenquestionedG1905
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
ὁhotheG3588
ἡγεμὼνhēgemōngovernorG2232
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
σὺsuYou yourselfG4771
εἶeiareG1510
ὁhotheG3588
βασιλεὺςbasileusKingG935
τῶνtōnof theG3588
Ἰουδαίων;¶IoudaiōnJews?G2453
ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἔφηephēwas sayingG5346
σὺsuYou yourselfG4771
λέγεις.legeissay.G3004

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

Cross references for Matthew 27:11

  • Luke 23:2-3

    And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

  • Mark 15:2-5

    And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

  • Matthew 26:25

    Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

  • John 18:29-38

    Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die. …

  • Mark 14:62

    And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

  • Matthew 2:2

    Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

  • Matthew 26:64

    Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

  • Matthew 10:18

    And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

  • Matthew 10:25

    It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

  • 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;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jesus stood.
10:18,25; Mr 15:2; Lu 23:3; Joh 18:33-36
Thou sayest.
26:25,64; Mr 14:62; Joh 18:37; 1Ti 6:13

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

Context

  • Matthew 27:10

    And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

  • Matthew 27:11

    And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

  • Matthew 27:12

    And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Read all of Matthew 27

Matthew 27:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jesús estuvo delante del presidente; y el presidente le preguntó, diciendo: ¿Eres tú el Rey de los judíos? Y Jesús le dijo: Tú lo dices.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or Jésus se tenait devant le gouverneur; et le gouverneur l’interrogea, disant: Es-tu, toi, le roi des Juifs? Et Jésus lui dit: Tu le dis.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber stand vor dem Landpfleger. Und der Landpfleger fragte ihn und sprach: Bist du der König der Juden? Jesus aber sprach zu ihm: Du sagst es.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus autem stetit ante præsidem, et interrogavit eum præses, dicens: Tu es rex Judæorum? Dicit illi Jesus: Tu dicis.