John 18:35
in John 18“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
KJV
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
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This verse in John 18
Commentary
15 notes on this verseHe now exposes the villainy of the Jews, and almost publishes the multitude of His accusers. It is as though he said: "It does not concern me to know about Thee, for I am not a Jew; but rather befits Thine own nation and kindred, who. it may be, have this knowledge, and so bring Thee to suffer death." He then accuses himself. For to say, What hast Thou done, implies nothing else but this.
This site's exposition
Are You the King of the Jews
on John 18:33-35
Are You the King of the Jews is a charge of treason, the one charge a Roman governor would hear. Jesus asks whether Pilate speaks for himself or repeats what others have told him. Am I a Jew puts the dispute back on them.
This site's exposition
Am I a Jew
Barnes reads Am I a Jew as a disclaimer of Jewish prejudice and the rest as admitting the charge came from the chief priests alone. Cyril marks that the last question, What have You done, confesses that Pilate has no charge of his own.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Tr. cxv) He rejects the imputation that He could have said it of Himself; Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee unto me: adding, what hast Thou done? Whereby he shows that this charge had been brought against Him, for it is as much as to say, If Thou deniest that Thou art a King, what hast Thou done to be delivered up to me? As if it were no wonder that He should be delivered up, if He called Himself a King.
On this point then declaring himself, Pilate replied, "Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me; what hast thou done?" Here desiring to clear himself of the matter. Then because he had said, "Art thou the King?" Jesus reproving him answereth, "This thou hast heard from the Jews. Why dost thou not make accurate enquiry? They have said that I am a malefactor; ask them what evil I have done. But this thou doest not, but art simply framing charges against Me." "Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself," or from others? Pilate then cannot at once say that he had heard it, but simply goes along with the people, saying, "They have delivered thee unto me." "I must needs therefore ask thee what thou hast done."
The Medieval Church3 voices
"Pilate answered: Am I a Jew?" As if to say: I do not lay this charge upon you; "your nation and your chief priests have delivered you to me"; as if to say: I received this from them. "What then have you done," that they …
2348 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Why did he answer this way? Because our Lord had asked him whether he said this on his own. Pilate showed by this that it was not his concern to inquire if Christ was the King of the …
Therefore Pilate also rightly answers that His betrayers are the Jews, and deflects the blame from himself. Pilate does not say that he heard it from others, but simply refers to the opinion of the people and says: "They delivered You to me; what have …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, The hour was now come that the captain of our salvation, who was to be made perfect by sufferings, should engage the enemy.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:47w-of-70
Pilate answered, am I a Jew?....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Am I a Jew? - Am I likely to be influenced by Jewish prejudices and partialities? Am not I, being a Roman, likely to judge impartially, and to decide on the accusations without being blessed by the malignant charges of the accusers? Thine own nation ... - In this Pilate denies that it was from anything that he had observed that Jesus was arraigned. He admits that it was from the accusation of others; but then he tells the Saviour that the charge was one of moment, and worthy of the deepest attention.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Pilate . . . called Jesus, and said . . . Art thou the King of the Jews?--In Lu 23:2 they charge our Lord before Pilate with "perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that He Himself is Christ a king." Perhaps this was what occasioned Pilate's question.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Pilate told them, "Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!" The Jewish religious leaders replied, "We cannot legally put anyone to death." (This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.) So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
Pilate told them, "Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!" The Jewish religious leaders replied, "We cannot legally put anyone to death." (This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.) So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Then Pilate said, "So you are a king!" Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked, "What is truth?" When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish religious leaders and announced, "I find no basis for an accusation against him. But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?" Then they shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.) The verses we have now read contain four striking points, which are only found in John's narrative of Christ's passion. We need not doubt that there were good reasons why Matthew, Mark, and Luke were not inspired to record them. But they are points of such deep interest, that we should feel thankful that they have been brought forward by John.
Am I a Jew? - That is, I am not a Jew, and cannot judge whether thou art what is called the Christ, the king of the Jews. It is thy own countrymen, and their spiritual rulers, who delivered thee up to me with the above accusation. What hast thou done? - If thou dost not profess thyself king over this people, and an enemy to Caesar, what is it that thou hast done, for which they desire thy condemnation?
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπεκρίθη | apekrithe | Answered | G611 → | 231 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Πιλᾶτος· | pilatos | Pilate; | G4091 → | 55 times |
| μήτι | meti | surely not ever | G3385 → | 18 times |
| ἐγὼ | ego | I myself | G1473 → | 839 times |
| Ἰουδαῖός | ioudaios | a Jew | G2453 → | 192 times |
| εἰμι; | eimi | am? | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τὸ | to | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνος | ethnos | nation | G1484 → | 161 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σὸν | son | of You | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεῖς | archiereis | chief priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| παρέδωκάν | paredokan | delivered | G3860 → | 119 times |
| σε | se | You | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐμοί· | emoi | to me myself; | G1473 → | 839 times |
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐποίησας;¶ | epoiesas | did You do? | G4160 → | 569 times |
ἀπεκρίθηAnswered
apekritheG611 →231 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Πιλᾶτος·Pilate;
pilatosG4091 →55 times
μήτιsurely not ever
metiG3385 →18 times
ἐγὼI myself
egoG1473 →839 times
Ἰουδαῖόςa Jew
ioudaiosG2453 →192 times
εἰμι;am?
eimiG1510 →2333 times
τὸThe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνοςnation
ethnosG1484 →161 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
σὸνof You
sonG4771 →2973 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεῖςchief priests
archiereisG749 →122 times
παρέδωκάνdelivered
paredokanG3860 →119 times
σεYou
seG4771 →2973 times
ἐμοί·to me myself;
emoiG1473 →839 times
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐποίησας;¶did You do?
epoiesasG4160 →569 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 19:11Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
it leads to
- Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- John 3:27
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
- Acts 2:23
He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
- Daniel 4:17
This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it…
- John 7:30
So they tried to seize Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
- Romans 13:1
Through
Acts 21:38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the ‘Assassins’ into the wilderness?”
it leads to
- Matthew 24:26
So if they tell you, ‘There He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
- Acts 5:36–37
Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
- Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
- Matthew 24:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies18
On this chapter
About John
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 18; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 12; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Gospel according to John; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 83; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.