Matthew 10:18

10:18 And you will be brought before governors and kings ¹  because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:25

10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!

Mark 15:2

15:2 So ²  Pilate asked him, “Are you the king ³  of the Jews?” He replied, ⁴  “You say so.” ⁵ 

Luke 23:3

23:3 So ⁶  Pilate asked Jesus, ⁷  “Are you the king ⁸  of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” ⁹ 

John 18:33-36

Pilate Questions Jesus

18:33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, ¹⁰  summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” ¹¹  18:34 Jesus replied, ¹²  “Are you saying this on your own initiative, ¹³  or have others told you about me?” 18:35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? ¹⁴  Your own people ¹⁵  and your chief priests handed you over ¹⁶  to me. What have you done?”

18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being ¹⁷  handed over ¹⁸  to the Jewish authorities. ¹⁹  But as it is, ²⁰  my kingdom is not from here.”

[10:18]  ¹ sn These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of courts and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts.

[15:2]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action in the narrative.

[15:2]  ³ sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[15:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “answering, he said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been modified for clarity.

[15:2]  ⁵ sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership (mentioned in Matt 26:64 and Luke 22:70).

[23:3]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the charges brought in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:3]  ⁸ sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested only in the third charge, because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[23:3]  ⁹ sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 22:70.

[18:33]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “into the praetorium.”

[18:33]  ¹¹ sn It is difficult to discern Pilate’s attitude when he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Some have believed the remark to be sarcastic or incredulous as Pilate looked at this lowly and humble prisoner: “So you’re the king of the Jews, are you?” Others have thought the Roman governor to have been impressed by Jesus’ regal disposition and dignity, and to have sincerely asked, “Are you really the king of the Jews?” Since it will later become apparent (v. 38) that Pilate considered Jesus innocent (and therefore probably also harmless) an attitude of incredulity is perhaps most likely, but this is far from certain in the absence of clear contextual clues.

[18:34]  ¹² tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[18:34]  ¹³ tn Grk “saying this from yourself.”

[18:35]  ¹⁴ sn Many have seen in Pilate’s reply “I am not a Jew, am I?” the Roman contempt for the Jewish people. Some of that may indeed be present, but strictly speaking, all Pilate affirms is that he, as a Roman, has no firsthand knowledge of Jewish custom or belief. What he knows of Jesus must have come from the Jewish authorities. They are the ones (your own people and your chief priests) who have handed Jesus over to Pilate.

[18:35]  ¹⁵ tn Or “your own nation.”

[18:35]  ¹⁶ tn Or “delivered you over.”

[18:36]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “so that I may not be.”

[18:36]  ¹⁸ tn Or “delivered over.”

[18:36]  ¹⁹ tn Or “the Jewish leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. In the translation “authorities” was preferred over “leaders” for stylistic reasons.

[18:36]  ²⁰ tn Grk “now.”