John 18:38 kjv
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 18:38 nkjv
Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.
John 18:38 niv
"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.
John 18:38 esv
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him.
John 18:38 nlt
"What is truth?" Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, "He is not guilty of any crime.
John 18 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." | Jesus as the embodiment of Truth |
| Jn 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. | Incarnate Word, full of grace and truth |
| Jn 8:32 | and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. | Knowing truth brings spiritual freedom |
| Jn 17:17 | Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. | God's Word as truth, for sanctification |
| Jn 18:36 | Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world..." | Immediate context: Jesus defines His kingdom/truth |
| Jn 19:4 | Pilate came out again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you... I find no guilt in Him." | Pilate reiterates Jesus' innocence |
| Jn 19:6 | When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him." | Pilate repeats innocence, despite cries for death |
| Matt 27:24 | So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing... he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood..." | Pilate tries to absolve himself, attesting innocence |
| Luke 23:4 | Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man." | Pilate's initial declaration of innocence (Luke's account) |
| Luke 23:14-15 | "I found no guilt in this man... neither has Herod... he has done nothing deserving death." | Pilate & Herod affirm Jesus' innocence |
| Isa 53:9 | His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. | Prophecy of the innocent Servant (Jesus) |
| 1 Pet 2:22 | who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth... | Jesus' sinless nature confirmed |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf... | Jesus' sinless nature essential for atonement |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. | Jesus' blamelessness as our High Priest |
| Ps 33:4 | For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. | God's word and work characterized by truth/faithfulness |
| Ps 25:5 | Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day. | Trust in God's guiding truth |
| Rom 3:4 | Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar... | God's truth stands above all human deceit |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him... | The world's inability to comprehend spiritual truths |
| 1 Jn 5:6 | This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. | The Spirit's role in testifying to truth |
| Prov 23:23 | Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. | The high value and pursuit of truth |
| Phil 2:6-8 | who, although He existed in the form of God... humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' humble obedience, implicitly innocent |
| Rev 1:5 | ...Jesus Christ, the faithful witness... | Jesus as the faithful and true witness |
| Jn 3:19 | This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. | Preference for darkness over truth results in condemnation |
John 18 verses
John 18 38 Meaning
John 18:38 captures Pilate's skeptical or dismissive question, "What is truth?", posed to Jesus. Immediately after, Pilate declares Jesus innocent to the Jewish leaders. This verse powerfully contrasts the world's indifference or inability to grasp ultimate truth with God's plan for His Son's blamelessness to be declared even by a pagan authority, preparing for His sacrifice as the spotless Lamb.
John 18 38 Context
John 18:38 occurs during Jesus' trial before the Roman Procurator, Pontius Pilate, in Jerusalem, specifically at the time of the Passover festival. The Jewish authorities, having found Jesus guilty of blasphemy in their own religious trial, lacked the power to execute Him and thus brought Him to Pilate, accusing Him of sedition against Caesar (claiming to be king, inciting rebellion). Just prior to Pilate's question, Jesus explains that His kingdom is "not of this world" (Jn 18:36) and that He came to testify to the truth (Jn 18:37). Pilate's subsequent question about truth can be seen as either a cynical dismissal of such abstract concepts by a pragmatic Roman official, or a genuinely bewildered inquiry. Following this internal dialogue, Pilate goes out to address the Jews, who are outside the praetorium due to their religious purity laws, to deliver his verdict.
John 18 38 Word analysis
- Pilate (Πιλᾶτος - Pilatos): Refers to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor (procurator) of Judea. He represents the secular, political authority of the world, contrasted with Jesus' spiritual authority. His involvement validates Jesus' innocence under Roman law.
- said to him: Indicates a private conversation between Pilate and Jesus inside the praetorium, separate from the Jewish accusers outside.
- "What is truth?" (Τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια; - Ti estin alētheia?):
- Ti (τί): "What?" - an interrogative pronoun.
- estin (ἐστιν): "is" - the present indicative of "to be."
- alētheia (ἀλήθεια): "truth, reality, fact, veracity, genuineness." In John's Gospel, alētheia is a profound, theological concept, often personified in Jesus Himself. It signifies divine reality, faithfulness, and the revealing of God's nature and plan. Pilate's question, whether cynical or bewildered, demonstrates a pagan mind's disconnect from this deeper spiritual reality. It suggests either an indifference to absolute truth, a belief in its elusiveness, or a weariness with philosophical speculation.
- After he had said this: Suggests a swift transition. Pilate likely did not wait for an answer, implying his question was rhetorical, dismissive, or that he was not seeking a deep philosophical discourse from one accused of sedition.
- he went back outside: Pilate's move from the private, theological realm of conversation with Jesus back to the public, politically charged confrontation with the Jews.
- to the Jews: Refers to the Jewish leaders (chief priests, Pharisees, etc.) who had brought Jesus to him. They represented the religious authority that had condemned Jesus, yet sought Roman sanction for His execution.
- and told them: An official, public declaration from the Roman authority to the accusers.
- "I find no guilt in him" (Οὐδὲν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ - Ouden aitian heuriskō en autō):
- Ouden (οὐδὲν): "Nothing."
- aitian (αἰτίαν): "cause, fault, guilt, accusation."
- heuriskō (εὑρίσκω): "I find, discover."
- en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ): "in him."
John 18 38 Bonus section
- Pilate's hasty departure from his own question suggests that he was less interested in finding a profound philosophical answer and more concerned with expediting a politically charged situation. His worldview, shaped by Roman pragmatism, likely saw abstract truth as inconsequential in legal and political affairs.
- This verse can serve as a commentary on the contemporary human condition, where many are either skeptical about the existence of absolute truth or are too preoccupied with immediate concerns to genuinely seek it, even when confronted by it.
- The silence of Jesus to Pilate's question can be interpreted not as an inability to answer, but as a recognition that Pilate was not seeking a true answer or that the answer (Jesus Himself) was standing before him, waiting to be revealed to eyes of faith rather than mere curiosity or skepticism.
- The entire trial highlights the conflict between God's kingdom, founded on truth and righteousness, and earthly kingdoms, often governed by political expediency, power, and fear of men.
John 18 38 Commentary
John 18:38 provides a poignant juxtaposition between worldly authority and divine truth. Pilate, the Roman governor, stands as a representative of pragmatic power and earthly wisdom, likely seeing Jesus' claims of truth and a spiritual kingdom as irrelevant or absurd amidst the political tensions. His question, "What is truth?", can be seen as cynical, weary, or simply perplexed, but crucially, it does not invite a deeper response, nor does Pilate pause to receive one. He dismisses the abstract in favor of immediate, practical matters.
The profound irony is that "Truth" Himself, Jesus, stood directly before Pilate (Jn 14:6). Pilate's failure to discern truth in the Person of Christ highlights humanity's pervasive spiritual blindness when prioritizing earthly concerns. Despite this spiritual insensitivity, Pilate's subsequent legal verdict—"I find no guilt in him"—is of immense theological significance. This declaration of Jesus' innocence by a worldly authority confirms His sinlessness and blamelessness. It reinforces the biblical truth that Jesus was a perfect, unblemished sacrifice (Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 1:19). The world itself, through its chosen legal system, inadvertently testified to the purity of the One it sought to condemn, laying the foundation for His innocent sacrifice to effectively atone for human guilt. This passage demonstrates God's sovereignty, as even in the machinations of human judgment, His divine plan for salvation unfolds precisely, confirming the absolute purity of the Redeemer.