Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- KJV 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.
- 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.
- NASB Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?” And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.
- NLT “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.
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 asks, 'What is truth?' then declares he finds no basis for a charge against Jesus. The judge unwittingly acquits the innocent King.
Overview
Pilate's question may reflect cynicism or evasion; ironically, Truth incarnate stands before him (14:6). Despite his dismissive query, Pilate pronounces Jesus innocent, the first of several such declarations in the trial. John stresses Jesus' innocence: he is condemned not as a criminal but as the spotless Lamb, dying for the guilty though guiltless himself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 19:4Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
- John 19:6When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”
- Luke 23:4Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
- Acts 17:32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”
- John 19:21–22The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am King of the Jews.”’”
- Matt 27:18–19For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
- Acts 24:25–26As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
- 1 Pet 2:22–23who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
- Matt 27:24So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.”
- Acts 17:19–20They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
- Mark 15:14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”
- 1 Pet 1:19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ;
- Luke 23:14–16and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.
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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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