Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

John 18:38

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
- 38 Pilate said to him: “What is truth?”
  
  After saying this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them: “I find no fault in him.+

John 18:38

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
- 38 λέγει Is saying αὐτῷ to him ὁ the Πειλᾶτος Pilate Τί What ἐστιν is ἀλήθεια; truth?
  
  Καὶ And τοῦτο this εἰπὼν having said πάλιν again ἐξῆλθεν he went out πρὸς toward τοὺς the Ἰουδαίους, Jews, καὶ and λέγει he is saying αὐτοῖς to them ᾿Εγὼ I οὐδεμίαν not one εὑρίσκω I am finding ἐν in αὐτῷ him αἰτίαν· cause;

John 18:38

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
- 38 Pilate said to him: “What is truth?”*
  
  And after saying this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them: “I find no fault in him.+

John 18:38

The Bible in Living English
- 38 Pilate said to him “What is truth?”
  And with this he went out to the Jews again and said to them “I do not find any case against him.

John 18:38

American Standard Version
- 38 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.

John 18:38

The Emphasized Bible
- 38 Pilate saith unto him—What is truth? And this saying again went he out to the Jews, and saith unto them—I find in him not a single fault.

John 18:38

King James Version
- 38 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 Study Notes—Chapter 18

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
- 18:38
  
  What is truth?: Pilate’s question apparently refers to truth in general, not specifically to “the truth” that Jesus had just spoken about. (Joh 18:37) Had this been a sincere question, Jesus would no doubt have answered it. But Pilate likely asks the question rhetorically in skeptical or cynical disbelief, as if to say, “Truth? What is that? There is no such thing!” In fact, Pilate does not even wait for an answer but leaves and goes outside to the Jews.