# John 18.37

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-18 | updated: 2026-08-18 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 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. 39. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (John 18:35-39, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 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. 39. But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:35-39, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 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. 39. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? (John 18:35-39, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 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; 39. and ye have a custom that I shall release to you one in the passover; will ye, therefore, [that] I shall release to you the king of the Jews?' (John 18:35-39, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- [G1080 - gennao](/codex/g1080-gennao/), *gennao*, Strong's G1080
- [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/), *aletheia*, Strong's G0225
- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi*, Strong's G1510
- [G2889 - kosmos](/codex/g2889-kosmos/), *kosmos*, Strong's G2889
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous*, Strong's G2424
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas*, Strong's G3956

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Christ Before Jesus Thesis Defeater](/codex/christ-before-jesus-thesis-defeater/), via [John 18.37-38](/codex/john-18-37-38/)
- [Sacred Name Yahawah Yahawashi Required for Salvation Objection Defeater](/codex/sacred-name-yahawah-yahawashi-required-for-salvation-objection-defeater/), via [John 18.37-38](/codex/john-18-37-38/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 18](/codex/john-18/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0225 - aletheia](/codex/g0225-aletheia/), via [John 18.37-38](/codex/john-18-37-38/)

**Passages:**

- [1 John 3.8](/codex/1-john-3-8/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->
## Notes

_Your annotations._

## 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.
