# John 18.36

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 34. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?</span> 35. Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
>
> **36. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.</span>**
>
> 37. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.</span> 38. 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 no crime in him. (John 18:34-38, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 34. Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">“Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”</span> 35. Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”
>
> **36. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”</span>**
>
> 37. Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“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.”</span> 38. 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. (John 18:34-38, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 34. Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?</span> 35. Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
>
> **36. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.</span>**
>
> 37. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 38. 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. (John 18:34-38, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 34. Jesus answered him, <span class="rl-speech">'From thyself dost thou say this? or did others say it to thee about me?'</span> 35. Pilate answered, 'Am I a Jew? thy nation, and the chief priests did deliver thee up to me; what didst thou?'
>
> **36. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">'My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my officers had struggled that I might not be delivered up to Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence.'</span>**
>
> 37. Pilate, therefore, said to him, 'Art thou then a king?' Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">'Thou dost say [it]; because a king I am, I for this have been born, and for this I have come to the world, that I may testify to the truth; every one who is of the truth, doth hear my voice.'</span> 38. Pilate saith to him, 'What is truth?' and this having said, again he went forth unto the Jews, and saith to them, 'I do find no fault in him; (John 18:34-38, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G932 - basileia](/codex/g932-basileia/), *basileia* (Strong's G932). Also appears in: [Matthew 4.23](/codex/matthew-4-23/), [Matthew 5.17-20](/codex/matthew-5-17-20/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous* (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/).
- [G2889 - kosmos](/codex/g2889-kosmos/), *kosmos* (Strong's G2889). Also appears in: [Mark 14](/codex/mark-14/), [John 1.1-14](/codex/john-1-1-14/), [John 1.10](/codex/john-1-10/).
- [G3860 - paradidomi](/codex/g3860-paradidomi/), *paradidomi* (Strong's G3860). Also appears in: [Matthew 18.34](/codex/matthew-18-34/), [Matthew 26.15](/codex/matthew-26-15/), [Matthew 27.2](/codex/matthew-27-2/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Forced Conversion By Sword Objection Defeater](/codex/forced-conversion-by-sword-objection-defeater/)
- [Liar Lunatic or Lord](/codex/liar-lunatic-or-lord/)
- [Muhammad Not in Bible Objection Defeater](/codex/muhammad-not-in-bible-objection-defeater/)
- [Religion Causes Violence Objection Defeater](/codex/religion-causes-violence-objection-defeater/)

**Concepts:**

- [Inquisition](/codex/inquisition/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 18](/codex/john-18/)
- [The Crusades](/codex/the-crusades/)
- [Theocracy](/codex/theocracy/)

**People:**

- [Simon the Zealot](/codex/simon-the-zealot/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G932 - basileia](/codex/g932-basileia/)

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