John 18:29-40

English Standard Version

²⁹^(A)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, ^(B)“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^(C)This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken ^(D)to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

³³^(E)So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ^(F)“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, ^(G)“My kingdom ^(H)is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, ^(I)my servants would have been fighting, that ^(J)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, ^(K)“You say that I am a king. ^(L)For this purpose I was born and for this purpose ^(M)I have come into the world—^(N)to bear witness to the truth. ^(O)Everyone who is ^(P)of the truth ^(Q)listens to my voice.” ³⁸Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, ^(R)he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ^(S)“I find no guilt in him. ³⁹^(T)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, ^(U)“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.^[a]