11Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned him, saying, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'You yourself say it.' [27:12] And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. [27:13] Then Pilate said to him, 'Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?' [27:14] And he did not answer him even a single word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
MAT 27:11-14
Jesus before Pilate
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman imperial system, a governor like Pontius Pilate held significant judicial and military authority, representing Caesar’s power in Judea. For Pilate, the accusation that Jesus claimed to be 'King of the Jews' was politically charged, as it implied a challenge to Roman sovereignty. Jewish leaders, leveraging Roman fears of rebellion, framed Jesus’s kingship as a threat to Pax Romana. Pilate’s question, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' sought to clarify whether Jesus posed a political danger. Jesus’s response, 'You yourself say,' is ambiguous—neither affirming nor denying the charge, which would have been understood as a refusal to engage in Pilate’s political framing. Jesus’s silence during the accusations aligns with prophetic traditions of the suffering servant (Isaiah 53:7), emphasizing his submission to God’s will rather than defending himself. Pilate’s amazement at Jesus’s silence reflects Roman expectations of self-defense in judicial proceedings, where silence could be interpreted as guilt or defiance. This encounter highlights the clash between Roman political authority and Jesus’s messianic mission.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
MAT 27:11
- KJV
- And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
- BSB
- Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
- Koinōnos
- Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned him, saying, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'You yourself say it.
MAT 27:12
- KJV
- And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
- BSB
- And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
- Koinōnos
- And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
MAT 27:13
- KJV
- Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
- BSB
- Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
- Koinōnos
- Then Pilate said to him, 'Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?
MAT 27:14
- KJV
- And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.
- BSB
- But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governorʼs amazement.
- Koinōnos
- And he did not answer him even a single word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.3.3
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.3.3
“And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross”
Cited to ground: when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross
Translator's notes
MAT 27:11
- governor;:The word translated 'governor' here referred to a leader or guide, often a provincial administrator appointed by a higher authority, indicating Pilate's role as a Roman official.
- You yourself:The term used here for 'You yourself' is emphatic, highlighting the personal responsibility and directness of Pilate's statement to Jesus.
- was saying:The word translated 'was saying' indicates an ongoing or repeated action, suggesting that Jesus's statement was not a one-time utterance but perhaps a continuous assertion.
MAT 27:14
- word:The word translated 'word' here often refers to a spoken utterance or declaration, emphasizing the specific content of what was said rather than just a general concept.