Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
Parallel translations
- WEB Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said.”
- BSB Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”
- NKJV Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”
- NASB Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.”
- NLT Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus tells the high priest to ask those who heard him, since they know what he said. He appeals to proper legal procedure.
Overview
By directing the high priest to witnesses, Jesus highlights that the burden lay on the accusers to bring testimony, not on him to incriminate himself. His response exposes the injustice of the interrogation. It reflects his quiet dignity and integrity, even as he is questioned by those determined to condemn him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Matt 26:59–60Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
- Mark 14:55–59And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
- Luke 22:67Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
- Acts 24:12–13And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
- Acts 24:18–20Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 18:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.