John 18:28-40

English Standard Version

Jesus Before Pilate

²⁸^(A)Then they led Jesus ^(B)from the house of Caiaphas to ^(C)the governor's headquarters.^[a] It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, ^(D)so that they would not be defiled, ^(E)but could eat the Passover. ²⁹^(F)So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” ³⁰They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” ³¹Pilate said to them, ^(G)“Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” ³²^(H)This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken ^(I)to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

³³^(J)So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ^(K)“Are you the King of the Jews?” ³⁴Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” ³⁵Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” ³⁶Jesus answered, ^(L)“My kingdom ^(M)is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, ^(N)my servants would have been fighting, that ^(O)I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” ³⁷Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, ^(P)“You say that I am a king. ^(Q)For this purpose I was born and for this purpose ^(R)I have come into the world—^(S)to bear witness to the truth. ^(T)Everyone who is ^(U)of the truth ^(V)listens to my voice.” ³⁸Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, ^(W)he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ^(X)“I find no guilt in him. ³⁹^(Y)But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰They cried out again, ^(Z)“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.^[b]