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When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”
John 18:22 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?”
  • KJV And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
  • ESV When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?”
  • NKJV And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”
  • NASB But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”
  • NLT Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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

An officer slaps Jesus, rebuking him for how he answered the high priest. Jesus suffers unjust violence.

Overview

Jesus' lawful and truthful reply is met not with refutation but with a blow, a sign of the injustice of the whole proceeding. The officer accuses Jesus of disrespect, yet it is the court that acts wrongly. This mistreatment of the innocent one fulfills the pattern of the suffering Servant who is struck and despised (Isaiah 50:6).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Luke 22:63–64The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.
  • John 19:3And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.
  • Isa 50:5–7The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back.
  • Matt 26:67–68Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him
  • Mark 14:65Then some of them began to spit on Him. They blindfolded Him, struck Him with their fists, and said to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in His face.
  • Mic 5:1Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.
  • Job 16:10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me.
  • Acts 23:2–5At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
  • Jer 20:2he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
  • John 18:3So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
  • Job 30:10–12They abhor me and keep far from me; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 18:22YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 18:22 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.