And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it.
Parallel translations
- WEB Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.”
- BSB So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- NKJV Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “ It is as you say.”
- NASB Pilate questioned Him: “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.”
- NLT Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
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 if Jesus is the King of the Jews, and Jesus affirms it. The political charge centers on his kingship.
Overview
The leaders frame the accusation in terms Rome would punish, casting Jesus as a rival king. Jesus' measured reply acknowledges the truth while not endorsing their distortion. He is indeed a king, though his kingdom is not of this world, and his royal identity will be ironically proclaimed throughout his passion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 2:2Saying, 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.
- Matt 27:11–14And 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.
- 1 Tim 6:13I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
- Mark 15:18And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
- Mark 15:26And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- Luke 23:2–3And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
- Mark 15:12And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
- John 18:29–38Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
- John 19:19–22And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
- Mark 15:9But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 15:2 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.