# John 18.6

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

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

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 4. Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Whom seek ye?</span> 5. They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.</span>
>
> **6. When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.**
>
> 7. Again therefore he asked them, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">I told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:</span> (John 18:4-8, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 4. Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out, and said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Who are you looking for?”</span> 5. They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“I am he.”</span> Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
>
> **6. When therefore he said to them, “I am he,” they went backward, and fell to the ground.**
>
> 7. Again therefore he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way,”</span> (John 18:4-8, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 4. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Whom seek ye?</span> 5. They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.</span>
>
> **6. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.**
>
> 7. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:</span> (John 18:4-8, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 4. <span class="rl-speech">Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that are coming upon him, having gone forth, said to them, 'Whom do ye seek?'</span> 5. they answered him, 'Jesus the Nazarene;' Jesus saith to them, <span class="rl-speech">'I am [he];'</span>, and Judas who delivered him up was standing with them;
>
> **6. when, therefore, he said to them, 'I am [he],' they went away backward, and fell to the ground.**
>
> 7. Again, therefore, he questioned them, 'Whom do ye seek?' and they said, 'Jesus the Nazarene;' 8. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">'I said to you that I am [he]; if, then, me ye seek, suffer these to go away;'</span> (John 18:4-8, 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._

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), *eimi*, Strong's G1510

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Jesus is Jacobs Ladder](/codex/jesus-is-jacobs-ladder/), via [John 18.5-6](/codex/john-18-5-6/)
- [Jesus Never Claimed to Be God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-never-claimed-to-be-god-objection-defeater/), via [John 18.5-6](/codex/john-18-5-6/)
- [Liar Lunatic or Lord](/codex/liar-lunatic-or-lord/), via [John 18.4-11](/codex/john-18-4-11/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christs Deity](/codex/christs-deity/), via [John 18.5-6](/codex/john-18-5-6/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1510 - eimi](/codex/g1510-eimi/), via [John 18.5-6](/codex/john-18-5-6/)

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## 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.