Translation commentary on John 18:35

Pilate’s reply to Jesus, Do you think I am a Jew? is more literally “Am I a Jew?” (Revised Standard Version). The Greek is in the form of a question that expects a negative answer. New American Bible makes this an exclamation “I am no Jew!”; New English Bible translates “What! am I a Jew?” Pilate’s response expresses contempt for the Jews. However, the more obvious meaning is that Pilate is disclaiming any real knowledge of Jesus, other than the information given him by the Jewish authorities. This is made clear by the following sentence (It was you own people…). Some readers may not see clearly the connection between Jesus’ question and Pilate’s reply. To some extent the relation may be indicated by rendering Pilate’s reply “Why should such a question come from me? I’m not a Jew.” However, this expansion is probably unnecessary, since the following statement indicates clearly that the accusation came from the Jewish authorities.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 18:35

18:35a

Am I a Jew?: This is a rhetorical question. It expects the answer, “No.” It emphasizes that Pilate was not a Jew. Pilate’s answer implied that by himself he would not have thought that Jesus was the King of the Jews. He further implied that some Jew must have told him that. The question probably also implies scorn for the Jews.

There are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• Use a rhetorical question. For example:

Do you think I am a Jew? (Good News Translation)
-or-
I am not a Jew, am I? (NET Bible)

• Use a statement. For example:

I am not Jewish. (New Century Version)
-or-
You know I’m not a Jew! (Contemporary English Version)

Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is natural in your language for giving a negative answer.

18:35b

Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me: This continues the answer to Jesus’ question in 18:34: Pilate heard about Jesus from the Jews who brought Jesus to him. In the Greek the emphasis is on the phrase Your own people and chief priests. It was Jesus’ own people and not the Roman government that gave Jesus to Pilate. You may want to indicate that emphasis in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. (New International Version)

In some languages it may be natural to include the implied information that this was the answer to Jesus’ question:

Your own people and chief priests ⌊told me about you⌋ when they handed you over to me.

Your own people: This phrase refers to the Jews. Jesus was a Jew while Pilate was a Roman and not a Jew. The pronoun Your is singular and refers to Jesus.

chief priests: This phrase refers to the religious leaders of the Jews. See how you translated this phrase in 18:3.

handed You over: The verb phrase handed…over indicates that the Jewish religious leaders had given Jesus to the Roman authorities to guard and judge. See how you translated this idea in 18:30. The Jewish leaders wanted the Roman authorities to judge and condemn Jesus, and punish him with death. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:

Your own nation and their chief priests have brought you before me. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. (New Living Translation (2004))

18:35c

What have You done?: This question is a request for information. It is a real question and not a rhetorical question. Pilate wanted to know what Jesus did that made the Jewish leaders want him to die. Here are other ways to translate this question:

What is it you have done? (New International Version)
-or-
Why? What have you done? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
What have you done wrong? (New Century Version)

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