John 18:38
New International Version
“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.

New Living Translation
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.

Berean Literal Bible
Pilate says to Him, "What is truth?" And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and says to them, "I find no guilt in Him.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.

NASB 1995
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 guilt in Him.

NASB 1977
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 guilt in Him.

Legacy Standard Bible
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 guilt in Him.

Amplified Bible
Pilate said to Him [scornfully], “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].

Christian Standard Bible
“What is truth? ” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging Him.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Pilate went back out and said, "I don't find this man guilty of anything!

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I don't find this man guilty of anything.

Good News Translation
"And what is truth?" Pilate asked. Then Pilate went back outside to the people and said to them, "I cannot find any reason to condemn him.

International Standard Version
Pilate asked him, "What is 'truth'?" and then he went out to the Jewish leaders again and told them, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

Majority Standard Bible
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.

NET Bible
Pilate asked, "What is truth?" When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, "I find no basis for an accusation against him.

New Heart English Bible
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" When he had said this, he went out again to the Jewish leaders, and said to them, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Pilate saith to him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them, I find in him no fault.

Weymouth New Testament
"What is truth?" said Pilate. But no sooner had he spoken the words than he went out again to the Jews and told them, "I find no crime in him.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Pilate says to Him, “What is truth?” And having said this, again he went forth to the Jews and says to them, “I find no fault in Him;

Berean Literal Bible
Pilate says to Him, "What is truth?" And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and says to them, "I find no guilt in Him.

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Smith's Literal Translation
Pilate says to him, What is truth? And having said this, again went he out to the Jews, and says to them, I find no fault in him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and he said to them, “I find no case against him.

New American Bible
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him.

New Revised Standard Version
Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Pilate said to him, What is this truth? And as he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, I am unable to find even one cause against him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Pilate said to him, “What is the truth?” And when he had said this he went out again to the Judeans and he said to them, “I find not even one fault in him.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Pilate said to him: What is truth?And when he had said this, he again came out to the Jews, and said to them: I find no fault in him.

Godbey New Testament
Pilate says to Him, What is truth? And saying this, again he went out to the Jews, and speaks to them, I find no crime in Him.

Haweis New Testament
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And having thus spoken, he went out again unto the Jews and saith to them, I find no fault in him.

Mace New Testament
what is truth? said Pilate, and upon saying this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, I don't find he is guilty of any crime.

Weymouth New Testament
"What is truth?" said Pilate. But no sooner had he spoken the words than he went out again to the Jews and told them, "I find no crime in him.

Worrell New Testament
Pilate says to Him, "What is truth?" And, having said this, he went out again to the Jews, and says to them, "I find no crime in Him.

Worsley New Testament
Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth? And as soon as he had spoke, he went out again to the Jews,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Before Pilate
37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.” 38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him. 39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”…

Cross References
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 3:19-21
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. / Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. / But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”

John 19:4
Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

John 19:6
As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

Luke 23:4
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

1 Peter 2:22
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”

1 John 3:5
But you know that Christ appeared to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.

Psalm 51:6
Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Psalm 119:142
Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true.

Zechariah 8:16
These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,

Romans 3:4
Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”


Treasury of Scripture

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 in him no fault at all.

What.

Acts 17:19,20,32
And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? …

Acts 24:25,26
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee…

I find.

John 19:4,6,21,22
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him…

Matthew 27:18,19,24
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him…

Mark 15:14
Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

Jump to Previous
Basis Charge Crime Fault Find Forth Guilt Jews Pilate Sooner Truth True. Whatever Words Wrong
Jump to Next
Basis Charge Crime Fault Find Forth Guilt Jews Pilate Sooner Truth True. Whatever Words Wrong
John 18
1. Judas betrays Jesus.
6. The officers fall to the ground.
10. Peter cuts off Malchus' ear.
12. Jesus is taken, and led unto Annas and Caiaphas.
15. Peter's denial.
19. Jesus examined before Caiaphas.
25. Peter's second and third denial.
28. Jesus arraigned before Pilate.
36. His kingdom.
40. The Jews prefer Barabbas.














What is truth?
This phrase is spoken by Pontius Pilate during his interrogation of Jesus. The Greek word for "truth" is "ἀλήθεια" (aletheia), which signifies not just factual accuracy but also sincerity, reality, and divine truth revealed by God. Pilate's question reflects a skeptical or perhaps cynical attitude towards the concept of absolute truth, which was a common philosophical debate in the Greco-Roman world. In the context of the Gospel of John, this question is deeply ironic because Jesus, who is standing before Pilate, has already declared Himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Pilate's inability to recognize the truth standing before him highlights the spiritual blindness that can afflict those who are not open to divine revelation.

retorted Pilate
The word "retorted" suggests a quick, perhaps dismissive response. Pilate's interaction with Jesus is marked by a sense of impatience and frustration. Historically, Pilate was a Roman governor known for his harsh rule and political pragmatism. His retort may indicate his struggle to understand or care about the deeper spiritual implications of Jesus' mission. Pilate's focus is on maintaining order and appeasing the Jewish leaders, rather than seeking genuine understanding or justice.

With this he went out again to the Jews
Pilate's action of going out to the Jews signifies a transition from a private interrogation to a public declaration. The Jewish leaders had brought Jesus to Pilate, seeking a death sentence. Pilate's movement between Jesus and the Jewish leaders symbolizes the tension between Roman authority and Jewish expectations. Archaeological findings, such as the Pilate Stone, confirm Pilate's historical role as the prefect of Judea, adding authenticity to the Gospel narrative.

and told them
Pilate's role as a communicator between Jesus and the Jewish leaders is crucial. His words carry the weight of Roman authority, yet he is caught in a political and spiritual dilemma. The historical context of Roman governance over Judea involved balancing Roman law with Jewish customs, often leading to complex interactions like this one.

I find no basis for a charge against Him
This declaration is significant because it underscores Jesus' innocence from a legal standpoint. The Greek phrase "οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ" (oudemian aitian heuriskō en autō) translates to finding no cause or fault in Him. Pilate's acknowledgment of Jesus' innocence is a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative, highlighting the injustice of the subsequent crucifixion. Scripturally, this aligns with the prophetic declarations of the Messiah as the sinless Lamb of God, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies of a blameless sacrifice for the sins of humanity.

(38) Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?--"'What is truth?' said jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer." Such is Lord Bacon's well-known interpretation of Pilate's well-known question. Others have seen in it the bitterness of a mind that had been tossed to and fro in the troubled sea of contemporaneous thought, and despaired of an anchorage. Others, again; have traced the tone of sarcasm in the governor's words--"Is the son of Roman freedom and Greek thought, which had at this time been welded into one power, to learn truth of a Jewish enthusiast?" while the older interpreters, for the most part, regarded the question as that of an earnest inquirer desiring to be satisfied. These are a few among the many thoughts the passage has suggested; and yet none of them seem to give the natural impression which follows from the words. Bacon's is nearest to it, but Pilate was far from jesting. He seems rather to have been irritated by the refusal of the Jews to furnish a formal accusation (John 18:31), and more so at the question of Jesus in John 18:34, and the subtleties, as he thinks them, of John 18:36. This seems to him to be another, and at all events it is wholly irrelevant to the question at issue. He has neither time nor will to deal with it, and at once goes from the palace again to the Jews.

I find in him no fault at all.--Better, I find no crime in Him. St. John uses the word rendered "fault" only in this phrase. (Comp. John 19:4; John 19:6.) It is used by St. Matthew (Matthew 27:37) for the technical "accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews," and this seems to be the sense here. "I find no ground for the legal charge (John 18:33). Whatever He may be, there is no proof of treason against the majesty of Caesar." . . .

Verse 38. - Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? The aphorism of Lord Bacon, "'What is truth?' said jesting Pilate, and did not wait for an answer," scarcely represents the reality oft-he case. Pilate was not scornfully jesting with a metaphysical problem, nor professing himself hopelessly baffled in search for it. The language was not the utterance of irrepressible homage to his mysterious Prisoner, or heartfelt sympathy with him. For on this supposition why did he not wait for some more words of strange unearthly wisdom? Nor does he go so far in his skepticism as Pliny the Eider did when he said, "that there is only one thing certain, viz. that there is nothing certain;" but as a man of the world having to do with Roman authority or intrigue and Jewish fanaticism, Pilate despised earnestness and zeal, and was utterly unable to believe in the existence of a world or region where any higher reality than force prevailed. But the governor was now, with his narrow range of thought, strongly convinced that Jesus was utterly innocent of the charge brought against him. The unanswered question is equivalent to this - What has truth to do with kingship? What has the vague shadowy region over which this poor king reigns to do with plots against Caesar? He saw enough to induce him to break off the interview within the Praetorium, and he proceeded, though vainly, to deliver a verdict on the case. When he had said this, he went out to the Jews, and said, I find no crime in him. Here, however, must be introduced the scenes described by Matthew, Mark, and especially by Luke - scenes of loud and angry dispute and renewed and fierce accusation (Matthew 27:12-14; Mark 15:3-5; Luke 23:4-12). In all three accounts, after the admission that he was King of the Jews, the loud, fierce accusations followed in which our Lord, notwithstanding the repeated summons of Pilate, "answered nothing." At this the governor marveled greatly (Matthew and Mark). It is not impossible that the first question which Pilate put to him within the Praetorium was renewed and laconically answered with the Σὺ λέγεις, as before I but all the wild roar of the chief priests and people could extract nothing more. This silence in face of the accusation of the mob astonished Pilate, and made him more than ever convinced of the innocence of his Prisoner. B. Weiss shows conclusively how much light this interview with Pilate throws on the synoptic narrative; that, in fact, Pilate's whole conduct is only explicable on the supposition that he had received cogent reasons to disarm all political mistrust (see 'Life of Jesus,' vol. 3. pp. 348, 349). Westcott says, "It is of great interest to compare this confession before Pilate with the corresponding confession before the high priest (Matthew 26:64). The one addressed to the Jews is in the language of prophecy, the other addressed to a Roman appeals to the verdict of universal conscience. The one speaks of a future manifestation of glory, the other of a present manifestation of truth."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“What
Τί (Ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

truth?”
ἀλήθεια (alētheia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 225: From alethes; truth.

Pilate
Πιλᾶτος (Pilatos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4091: Pilate. Of Latin origin; close-pressed, i.e. Firm; Pilatus, a Roman.

asked.
Λέγει (Legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

And
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

having said
εἰπὼν (eipōn)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

this,
τοῦτο (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

he went out
ἐξῆλθεν (exēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

again
πάλιν (palin)
Adverb
Strong's 3825: Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαίους (Ioudaious)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

told
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

them,
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“I
Ἐγὼ (Egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

find
εὑρίσκω (heuriskō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

no
οὐδεμίαν (oudemian)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

basis for a charge
αἰτίαν (aitian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 156: From the same as aiteo; a cause, i.e. reason, crime.

against
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

Him.
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


Links
John 18:38 NIV
John 18:38 NLT
John 18:38 ESV
John 18:38 NASB
John 18:38 KJV

John 18:38 BibleApps.com
John 18:38 Biblia Paralela
John 18:38 Chinese Bible
John 18:38 French Bible
John 18:38 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: John 18:38 Pilate said to him What is truth? (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 18:37
Top of Page
Top of Page