Explore the Bible
Read
Up Next
John 18:28-38
Jesus Is Tried by Pilate
(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; Luke 23.1-5)
28It was early in the morning when Jesus was taken from Caiaphas to the building where the Roman governor stayed. But the crowd waited outside. Any of them who had gone inside would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal.
29Pilate came out and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 They answered, “He is a criminal! That's why we brought him to you.”
31Pilate told them, “Take him and judge him by your own laws.”
The crowd replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” 32 And so what Jesus said about his death would soon come true.
33Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?”
35“You know I'm not a Jew!” Pilate said. “Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?”
36Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to our leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world.”
37“So you are a king,” Pilate replied.
“You are saying that I am a king,” Jesus told him. “I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice.”
38Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”
Jesus Is Sentenced to Death
(Matthew 27.15-31; Mark 15.6-20; Luke 23.13-25)
Pilate went back out and said, “I don't find this man guilty of anything!
John 18:28-38
Jesus before Pilate
28Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’
30‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you.’
31Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’
‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ they objected. 32This took place to fulfil what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’
34‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’
35‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’
36Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’
37‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.
Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’
38‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him.
