37Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
The Greek Iēsous is “only” a proper name but one with great importance. The following quote by John Ellington (in The Bible Translator1993, p. 401ff. ) illustrates this:
“In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told that when Mary gives birth to a son ‘you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’ (1:21). This name is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name [Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) which is a short form of a name meaning] ‘the Lord [Yahweh] saves.’ The name is very significant and is in itself especially dear to Christians around the world. (…) Unquestionably great importance is attached to the name of Jesus by Christians of all persuasions and backgrounds.”
While Iēsous (pronounced: /i.ɛː.suːs/) is transliterated as “Jesus” (pronounced /ˈdʒiːzəs/) in English (but was translated as “Hælend” [the “healing one”] in Old English — see Swain 2019) it is transliterated and pronounced in a large variety of other ways as well, following the different rules of different languages’ orthographies, writing systems and rules of pronunciation. The following is a (partial) list of forms of Jesus in Latin characters: aYeso, Azezi, Boiyesuq, Cecoc, Chesús, Chi̍i̍sū, Chisɔsi, Ciisahs, Ciise, Ciisusu, Djesu, Ɛisa, Ƹisa, Eyesu, Gesù, Gesû, Gesü, Ġesù, Ghjesù, Giêsu, ꞌGiê‑ꞌsu, Giê-xu, Gyisɛse, Hesu, Hesús, Hisus, Hisuw, Ià-sŭ, Iesen, Ié:sos, Iesu, Iesui, Iesusɨn, Iesusiva, Ié:sos, Ihu, Īhu, Iisus, Iisussa, Ijeesu, iJisọsị, Iji̍sɔ̄ɔsi, Iosa, Íosa, Ìosa, İsa, I’sa, Isiso, Isõs, Ísu, Isus, Isusa, Iisussa, Isuthi, Itota, Îtu, Isuva, Izesu, Izesuq, Jasus, Jeeju, Jeesus, Jeesuse, Jeezas, Jehu, Jeisu, Jeju, Jejus, Jesesi, Jeshu, Jeso, Jesoe, Jesosa, Jesoshi, Jesosi, Jesosy, Jesu, Jesû, Jesua, Jesuh, Jesuhs, Jesuo, Jesús, Jésus, Jesúsu, Jethu, Jezed, Jezi, Jézi, Ježiš, Jezu, Jezus, Jézus, Jėzus, Jēzus, Jezusi, Jėzus, Jezuz, Jiijajju, Jíísas, Jiisusi, Jiizas, Jíìzọ̀s, Jisas, Jisase, Jisasi, Jisasɨ, Jisaso, Jisesi, Jisɛ̀, Jisos, Jisọs, Jisɔs, Jisu, Jiszs, Jizọs, Jizɔs, Jizọsi, Jizọsu, Jòso, Jusu, Jweesus, Ketsutsi, Njises, Sesi, Sisa, Sísa, Sisas, Sises, Sīsū, Sizi, Txesusu, uJesu, Ujísɔ̄si, ŵaYesu, Xesosi, ´Xesús, Xesús, Yasu, Ya:su, Yasuuⓐ, Ɣaysa, Yecu, Yeeb Sub, Yeeh Suh, Yeesey, Yeeso, Yeesso, Yēēsu, Yehsu, Yëësu, Yeiqsul, Yeisu, Yeisuw, Yeshu, Yē shú, Yeso, Yéso, Yesò, Yëso, Yɛso, ye-su, Yésu, Yêsu, Yẹ́sụ̃, Yěsù, Yésʉs, Yeswa, Yet Sut, Yetut, Yexus, Yezo, Yezu, Yiesu, Yiisa, Yiisu, Yiitju, Yis, Yisɔs, Yisufa, Yitati, Yusu, ‑Yusu, :Yusu’, Zeezi, Zezi, Zezì, Zezuz, Zezwii, Ziizɛ, Zisas, Zîsɛ, Zjezus, Zozi, Zozii, and this (much more incomplete) list with other writings systems: ᔩᓱᓯ, ᒋᓴᔅ, Հիսուս, ᏥᏌ, ኢየሱስ, ያሱስ, ܝܫܘܥ, Ісус, Їисъ, 耶稣, იესო, ईसा, イエス, イイスス, イエスス, 예수, येशू, येशो, ਈਸਾ, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ජේසුස්, যীশু, ଯୀଶୁ, ཡེ་ཤུ་, ‘ঈছা, இயேசு, ಯೇಸು, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ယေရှု, ઇસુ, जेजू, येसु, เยซู, យេស៊ូ, ᱡᱤᱥᱩ, ယေသှု, యేసు, ᤕᤧᤛᤢ᤺ᤴ, އީސާގެފާނު, ਯਿਸੂ, ꕉꖷ ꔤꕢ ꕞ, ⵏ⵿ⵗⵢⵙⴰ, ଜୀସୁ, يَسُوعَ,ㄧㄝㄙㄨ, YE-SU, ꓬꓰ꓿ꓢꓴ, 𖽃𖽡𖾐𖼺𖽹𖾏𖼽𖽔𖾏, ꑳꌠ, ᠶᠡᠰᠦᠰ (note that some of these might not display correctly if your device does not have the correct fonts installed).
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In some languages the different confessions have selected different transliterations, such as in Belarusian with Isus (Ісус) by the Orthodox and Protestant churches and Yezus (Езус) by the Catholic church, Bulgarian with Iisus (Иисус) by the Orthodox and Isus (Исус) by the Protestant church, Japanese with Iesu (イエス) (Protestant and Catholic) and Iisusu (イイスス) (Orthodox), or Lingala with Yesu (Protestant) or Yezu (Catholic). These differences have come to the forefront especially during the work on interconfessional translations such as one in Lingala where “many hours were spent on a single letter difference” (source: Ellington, p. 401).
In Literary and Mandarin Chinese where transliterations of proper names between the Catholic and Protestant versions typically differ vastly, the Chinese name of Jesus (Yēsū 耶稣) remarkably was never brought into question between and by those two confessions, likely due to its ingenious choice. (Click or tap here to see more).
The proper name of God in the Old Testament, Yahweh (YHWH), is rendered in most Chinese Bible translations as Yēhéhuá 耶和華 — Jehovah. According to Chinese naming conventions, Yēhéhuá could be interpreted as Yē Héhuá, in which Yē would be the family name and Héhuá — “harmonic and radiant” — the given name. In the same manner, Yē 耶 would be the family name of Jesus and Sū 稣 would be his given name. Because in China the children inherit the family name from the father, the sonship of Jesus to God the Father, Jehovah, would be illustrated through this. Though this line of argumentation sounds theologically unsound, it is indeed used effectively in the Chinese church (see Wright 1953, p. 298).
Moreover, the “given name” of Sū 稣 carries the meaning ‘to revive, to rise again’ and seems to point to the resurrected Jesus. (Source: J. Zetzsche in Malek 2002, p. 141ff., see also tetragrammaton (YHWH))
There are different ways that Bible translators have chosen historically and today in how to translate the name of Jesus in predominantly Muslim areas: with a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) (which is used for “Jesus” in the Qur’an), the Greek Iēsous, or, like major 20th century Bible translations into Standard Arabic, the Aramaic Yēšūaʿ: Yasua (يَسُوعَ). (Click or tap here to see more.)
Following are languages and language groups that use a form of Isa include the following (note that this list is not complete):
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Some languages have additional “TAZI” editions (TAZI stands for “Tawrat, Anbiya, Zabur, and Injil” the “Torah, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel”) of the New Testament that are geared towards Muslim readers where there is also a translation in the same language for non-Muslims. In those editions, Isa is typically used as well (for example, the Khmer TAZI edition uses Isa (អ៊ីសា) rather than the commonly used Yesaou (យេស៊ូ), the Thai edition uses Isa (อีซา) rather than Yesu (เยซู), the Chinese edition uses Ěrsā (尔撒) vs. Yēsū (耶稣), and the English edition also has Isa rather than Jesus.)
In German the name Jesus (pronounced: /ˈjeːzʊs/) is distinguished by its grammatical forms. Into the 20th century the grammatical rules prescribed a unique Greek-Latin declination: Jesus (nominative), Jesu (genitive, dative, vocative), Jesum (accusative), from which today only the genitive case “Jesu” is still in active use. Likewise, in Seediq (Taroko), the morphological treatment of “Jesus” also occupies a special category by not falling under the normal rule of experiencing a vowel reduction when the object-specific suffix an is added “since it was felt that the readers might resent that the name has been changed that drastically.” (Compare Msian for “Moses” (Mosi) as an object, but Yisuan for “Jesus” (Yisu).) (Source: Covell 1998. p. 249)
In Lamba the name ŵaYesu consists of a transliteration Yesu and the prefix ŵa, a plural form for “proper names when addressing and referring to persons in any position of seniority or honor.” While this was avoided in early translations to avoid possible misunderstandings of more than one Jesus, once the church was established it was felt that it was both “safe” and respectful to use the honorific (pl.) prefix. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )
In virtually all sign languages, “Jesus” is signed with the middle finger of each hand pointing to the palm (or wrist) of the other in succession (signing the nails of the cross). In the context of Bible translation this has been pointed out as theologically problematic since the “semantic connections of the original name Jesus do point towards ‘salvation,’ they do not naturally lead to crucifixion.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 1 (2020), p. 33ff.)
Following is the oldest remaining Ethiopian Orthodox icon of Jesus from the 14th or possibly 13th century (found in the Church of the Saviour of the World in Gurji, Ethiopia). As in many Orthodox icons, Jesus’ right hand forms the Greek letters I-C-X-C for IHCOYCXPICTOC or “Jesus Christ.” Another interpretation of the right hand is that it shows three fingers pointing to the Trinity, while the two other fingers point to Jesus’ two natures.
Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The following is the so-called “Wales Window for Alabama.” It is a stained-glass window by the artist John Petts from Carmarthenshire, Wales, created in response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which took place in 1963:
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
The style of the following drawing of Jesus by Annie Vallotton is described by the artist as this: “By using few lines the readers fill in the outlines with their imagination and freedom. That is when the drawings begin to communicate.” (see here ; see also We All are One in Christ)
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, copyright by Donald and Patricia Griggs of Griggs Educational Service.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
So Pilate asked him is literally “therefore (oun) Pilate said to him.” here again the verb “to say” is used to introduce a question (compare verse 33).
Then translates a Greek particle (oukoun), which occurs only here in the New Testament. This particle brings the conversation back to Pilate’s initial question in verse 33 (Are you the king of the Jews?), since Jesus has not answered the charge expressed in that verse. Here an affirmative answer is expected. New American Bible translated “So, then, you are a king?” To bring out the emphatic force of the pronoun you, Moffatt translates “ ‘So you are a king?’ said Pilate. ‘You!’ ” Pilate’s question may be posed as “But you are a ruler then?”
In Jesus’ answer, You say that I am a king, the pronoun you is emphatic. Jesus’ reply is generally taken as an affirmative answer to Pilate’s question (note, for example, Moffatt “ ‘Certainly,’ said Jesus, ‘I am a king….’ ”). Some translations, however, render otherwise (New English Bible “ ‘King’ is your word…”; New American Bible “It is you who say that I am a king”). The footnote of New American Bible is interesting: “It is a reluctant affirmative, equalling ‘Yes, but the terminology is yours!’ ” Since there is no consensus of scholarly opinion it is best to render this reply of Jesus in the most general way possible, implying neither agreement nor disagreement with Pilate’s statement. However, in some languages, it is impossible to employ a completely ambiguous answer. It may therefore be better to employ one interpretation of the text, while indicating in a footnote the possibility of another meaning.
I was born and came into the world are parallel expressions. Came into the world affirms the otherworldly origin of Jesus, who, like his kingdom, does not originate in this world. If one preserves both expressions, was born and came into the world, it may be necessary to reverse the order to approximate more nearly to what would appear to be the chronological sequence of events, namely, “I came into the world and was born.”
To speak about the truth is the one purpose for which Jesus has come.
Truth is one of the key words of John’s Gospel (see 1.14). Though John the Baptist spoke on behalf of the truth (5.33), Jesus is the truth (14.6), since he is one with the Father (10.30). Although in many contexts the truth may be interpreted as “the truth about God,” it is probably better here to understand the truth in the sense of “true words” or “what is true” or “what really is.” For Pilate’s question in the following verse (what is truth?) indicates that he understands the truth (verse 37) in the broadest sense.
Whoever belongs to the truth is a participial construction in Greek (“everyone being of the truth”). An indefinite relative clause, introduced by Whoever, is the natural way of rendering this construction in English, For the use of “to be of” with the sense of “to belong to” see verse 36 (My kingdom does not belong to this world). Moffatt and Goodspeed are similar to Good News Translation.
Listens to me is more literally “hears my voice.” But the focus is not merely on “hearing,” but on listening to and responding to with understanding and obedience. In this context listens to me may be understood as “pays attention to what I say,” or “heeds what I say.”
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 .
“Then You are a king!” Pilate said: Pilate returned to his first question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (18:33). He understood that Jesus was saying that he was a king. This is a rhetorical question that expects the answer yes. Pilate wanted to confirm something that he thought that Jesus implied.
There are two ways to translate this rhetorical question:
• Use a rhetorical question. For example:
You are a king, then? (Revised English Bible)
• Use a statement like the Berean Standard Bible. For example:
So you are a king! (New Century Version) -or-
So you must mean that you are a king. -or-
So that means that you are in fact a king.
18:37b
“You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered: There are two ways to interpret the Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as You say that I am a king :
(1) Jesus said that he was a king. He agreed with Pilate that he was a king. For example:
You are right in saying I am a king. (New International Version (1984))
(God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, New International Version (1984), God’s Word)
(2) Jesus did not admit that he was a king. For example:
It is you who say that I am a king. (New Jerusalem Bible)
(NIV2011, New Jerusalem Bible, New Century Version, probably New Living Translation (2004))
The translations that translate more literally can be understood to follow either interpretation here (King James Version, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). It is good to translate this in an ambiguous way. Jesus probably intended his answer to cause Pilate and others who heard him to think about what being a king meant. They suggested that he was a king, and he did not deny it. But he did not say that he was a political ruler. Try to give an ambiguous answer that introduces Jesus’ explanation of his true mission. For example:
You are calling me a king. -or-
“King” is your word (Revised English Bible) -or-
“A king” is what you say.
You say: The Greek text emphasizes the pronoun You to contrast it with “I” in 18:37c. Pilate thought that the purpose of Jesus’ life was to be a king. However, Jesus said that he had a different purpose.
18:37c
For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth: This sentence indicates that Jesus came into the world to tell people the truth. His purpose in coming was not to be a worldly king.
The phrases I was born and have come into the world both refer to the same event. Jesus came into the world from heaven when he was born. Repeating the idea emphasizes it. Emphasize this idea in a way that is natural in your language. For example:
For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world (English Standard Version) -or-
For this purpose I was born—yes, for this very reason I came into the world—
In some languages it may be necessary to combine the verb phrases. For example:
This is the reason that I was born into this world
The Greek text emphasizes the word I to contrast it with “You” in 18:37b. See the note there.
to testify to the truth: This phrase indicates that Jesus was a witness to the truth, especially the truth about God his Father. He knew his Father personally. During his life on earth he testified (told what he knew) about who God is and what he is like. See how you translated testify in 1:7, 3:11, and 5:31. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
to speak about the truth (Good News Translation) -or-
to tell people the truth (New Century Version)
the truth: In some languages it may not be possible or natural to talk about truth as a noun. You may want or need to use an adjective form of the word. For example:
to speak about what is true -or-
to declare the true teaching
18:37d
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice: This sentence serves as an implied challenge to Pilate to listen to Jesus. Jesus implied that if Pilate really wanted to know the truth, he would listen to Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:
Whoever wants to know the truth will receive/accept what I say -or-
All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true (New Living Translation (2004))
Everyone who belongs to the truth: This phrase means “all the people who want to know the truth” or “everyone who is devoted to believing the truth.” If you translated truth as an adjective in 18:37c, you will want to do the same here. For example:
All who follow what is really true -or-
Whoever wants to know what the true teaching is
listens to My voice: This phrase means “believes/accepts what I say.” It implies that the person will accept and obey what Jesus says. Here is another way to translate this phrase:
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