“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.”
Parallel translations
- 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.”
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
- NASB Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
- NLT Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”
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
Pilate presses whether Jesus is a king, and Jesus affirms it, saying he came to bear witness to the truth, and that all who are of the truth hear him. Jesus is King and witness to the truth.
Overview
Jesus accepts the title 'king' on his own terms and defines his mission: to testify to the truth. His birth and coming into the world were purposeful, affirming both his incarnation and his pre-existence. Those who belong to the truth listen to his voice, echoing the Good Shepherd's sheep (10:27). To follow Christ is to receive the truth he embodies and proclaims.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- John 8:47Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- 1 Jn 4:6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
- John 8:14Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.
- John 10:26–27But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
- 1 Jn 3:19And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:
- John 14:6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- Isa 55:4Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of the peoples.
- John 7:17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own.
- Luke 23:3So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Mark 15:2So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- 1 Tim 6:13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession in His testimony before Pontius Pilate:
- John 3:32He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony.
- 1 Pet 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
- 1 Jn 5:20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
- Matt 26:64“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
- Matt 27:11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Rev 1:4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne,
- Rev 3:14To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.
- 1 Jn 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
- Mark 14:62“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
- Luke 22:70So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”
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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.
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Original language
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