33 Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (A)

34 Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”

35 “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36 “My kingdom(B) is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world,(C) my servants(D) would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is,[a] my kingdom is not from here.”(E)

37 “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.

“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world(F) for this: to testify(G) to the truth.(H) Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

38 “What is truth?” said Pilate.

Jesus or Barabbas

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds(I) for charging him.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:36 Or But now

33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”(A) 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”(B) 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”(C) 38 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

Jesus Sentenced to Death

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him.(D)

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