Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Bible in Basic English

John 18:22

When he said this, one of the police by his side gave him a blow with his open hand, saying, Do you give such an answer to the high priest?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Jesus Continued;   Malice;   Persecution;   Priest;   Prisoners;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courts;   Indignities Suffered, by Christ;   Smiting;   Suffering for Righteousness' S;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Courts of Justice;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Caiaphas;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Persecution;   Priest, Priesthood;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Annas;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Caiaphas, Joseph;   John the Apostle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Trial of Jesus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Annas;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Annas ;   Annas (2);   Caiaphas (2);   Endurance;   Minister, Ministration;   Officer (2);   Palm;   Patience ;   Peter;   Pilate;   Quotations (2);   Trial of Jesus;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Officer;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Answer;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Annas;   Jesus Christ, the Arrest and Trial of;   Law in the New Testament;   Ostraca;   Palm (of the Hand);   Peter, Simon;   Punishments;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When he had said these things, one of the officials standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?”
King James Version (1611)
And when hee had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by, stroke Iesus with the palme of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the hie priest so?
King James Version
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
English Standard Version
When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
New American Standard Bible
But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"
New Century Version
When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?"
Amplified Bible
But when He said this, one of the officers who was standing nearby struck Jesus [in the face], saying, "Is that how You answer the high priest?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"
Legacy Standard Bible
And when He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby gave Jesus a slap, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"
Berean Standard Bible
When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, "Is this how You answer the high priest?"
Contemporary English Version
As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, "That's no way to talk to the high priest!"
Complete Jewish Bible
At these words, one of the guards standing by slapped Yeshua in the face and said, "This is how you talk to the cohen hagadol?"
Darby Translation
But as he said these things, one of the officers who stood by gave a blow on the face to Jesus, saying, Answerest thou the high priest thus?
Easy-to-Read Version
When Jesus said this, one of the guards standing there hit him. The guard said, "You should not talk to the high priest like that!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
When he had spoken these thinges, one of the officers which stoode by, smote Iesus with his rod, saying, Answerest thou the hie Priest so?
George Lamsa Translation
And as he said these things, one of the guards who stood by, struck Jesus on his cheek, and said to him, Is this how you answer the high priest?
Good News Translation
When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, "How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!"
Lexham English Bible
Now when he had said these things, one of the officers who was standing by gave a slap in the face to Jesus, saying, "Do you reply to the high priest in this way?"
Literal Translation
But on His having said these things, one of the under-officers standing by gave Jesus a blow with the palm, saying, Do You answer the high priest this way?
American Standard Version
And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
Hebrew Names Version
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Yeshua with his hand, saying, "Do you answer the Kohen Gadol like that?"
International Standard Version
When he said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Jesus on the face and said, "Is that any way to answer the high priest?"Jeremiah 20:2; Acts 23:2;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And as these (words) he spake, one of the officers who stood (by) struck Jeshu upon his cheek, and said to him, Thus givest thou the answer to the chief of the priests ?
Murdock Translation
And as he said these things, one of the officials standing by, smote the cheek of Jesus, and said to him: Givest thou such an answer to the high priest?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When he had thus spoken, one of the officers whiche stoode by, smote Iesus [with a rod] saying: Aunswerest thou the hye priest so?
English Revised Version
And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
World English Bible
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, "Do you answer the high priest like that?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
When he had said thus, one of the officers, who stood by, gave Jesus a blow, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
Weymouth's New Testament
Upon His saying this, one of the officers standing by struck Him with his open hand, asking Him as he did so, "Is that the way you answer the High Priest?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whanne he hadde seid these thingis, oon of the mynystris stondynge niy, yaf a buffat to Jhesu, and seide, Answerist thou so to the bischop?
Update Bible Version
And when he had said this, one of the attendants standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Do you answer the high priest so?
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers who stood by, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
New English Translation
When Jesus had said this, one of the high priest's officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?"
New King James Version
And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"
New Living Translation
Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. "Is that the way to answer the high priest?" he demanded.
New Life Bible
Then one of the soldiers standing there hit Jesus with his hand. He said, "Is that how You talk to the head religious leaders?"
New Revised Standard
When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when, these things, he had said, one of the officers who was standing by, gave a smart blow to Jesus, saying - Thus, answerest thou, the High-priest?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he had said these things, one of the servants standing by gave Jesus a blow, saying: Answerest thou the high priest so?
Revised Standard Version
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Whe he had thus spoken one of ye ministres which stode by smote Iesus on the face sayinge: answerest thou the hyepreste so?
Young's Literal Translation
And he having said these things, one of the officers standing by did give Jesus a slap, saying, `Thus dost thou answer the chief priest?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan he had thus spoke, one of the officers that stode by, smote Iesus on the face, and sayde: Answerest thou the hye prest so?
Mace New Testament (1729)
Upon his expressing himself thus, one of the officers there present, struck Jesus on the face, saying, answerest thou the high priest so?
THE MESSAGE
When he said this, one of the policemen standing there slapped Jesus across the face, saying, "How dare you speak to the Chief Priest like that!"
Simplified Cowboy Version
The final word had barely come out of Jesus's mouth when a guard standing close by slapped him in the face and said, "That ain't no way to talk to the head preacher."

Contextual Overview

13 They took him first to Annas, because Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was the high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had said to the Jews that it was in their interest for one man to be put to death for the people. 15 And Simon Peter went after Jesus with another disciple. Now that disciple was a friend of the high priest and he went in with Jesus into the house of the high priest; 16 But Peter was kept outside at the door. Then this other disciple, who was a friend of the high priest, came out and had a word with the girl who kept the door, and took Peter in. 17 Then the girl who was the door-keeper said to Peter, Are you not one of this man's disciples? In answer he said, I am not. 18 Now the servants and the police had made a fire of coals because it was cold; they were warming themselves in front of it and Peter was there with them, warming himself. 19 Then the high priest put questions to Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus made answer, I said things openly to the world at all times; I have given my teaching in the Synagogues and in the Temple to which all the Jews come; and I have said nothing secretly. 21 Why are you questioning me? put questions to my hearers about what I have said to them: they have knowledge of what I said. 22 When he said this, one of the police by his side gave him a blow with his open hand, saying, Do you give such an answer to the high priest?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

struck: Job 16:10, Job 30:10-12, Isaiah 50:5-7, Jeremiah 20:2, Micah 5:1, Matthew 26:67, Matthew 26:68, Mark 14:65, Luke 22:63, Luke 22:64, Acts 23:2, Acts 23:3

the palm of his hand: or, a rod

Answerest: Acts 23:4, Acts 23:5

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 18:23 - Zedekiah Proverbs 17:26 - to strike Isaiah 50:6 - gave Jeremiah 37:15 - the princes Luke 6:29 - smiteth Luke 18:32 - mocked Hebrews 12:3 - contradiction

Cross-References

Genesis 18:1
Now the Lord came to him by the holy tree of Mamre, when he was seated in the doorway of his tent in the middle of the day;
Genesis 18:2
And lifting up his eyes, he saw three men before him; and seeing them, he went quickly to them from the door of the tent, and went down on his face to the earth;
Genesis 18:16
And the men went on from there in the direction of Sodom; and Abraham went with them on their way.
Genesis 19:1
And at nightfall the two angels came to Sodom; and Lot was seated at the way into the town: and when he saw them he got up and came before them, falling down on his face to the earth.
Psalms 106:23
And he was purposing to put an end to them if Moses, his special servant, had not gone up before him, between him and his people, turning back his wrath, to keep them from destruction.
Jeremiah 15:1
Then the Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel came before me, I would have no desire for this people: send them away from before me, and let them go.
Jeremiah 18:20
Is evil to be the reward of good? for they have made a deep hole for my soul. Keep in mind how I took my place before you, to say a good word for them so that your wrath might be turned away from them.
Ezekiel 22:30
And I was looking for a man among them who would make up the wall and take his station in the broken place before me for the land, so that I might not send destruction on it: but there was no one.
Acts 7:55
But he was full of the Holy Spirit, and looking up to heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus at the right hand of God.
1 Timothy 2:1
My desire is, first of all, that you will make requests and prayers and give praise for all men;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when he had thus spoken,.... What was so right and reasonable, in so becoming a manner, without heat or passion:

one of the officers which stood by; it may be one of those who had been sent to him and had been a hearer of him, whom Jesus might look wistfully at, or point unto, when he said the above words, at which he might be provoked: and therefore

stroke Jesus with the palm of his hand; or gave him a rap with a rod, or smote him with a staff, as some think, is the sense of the phrase; though the Syriac, agreeably to our version, reads it, he smote him, על לועוהי, "upon his cheek"; gave him, what we commonly call, a slap on the face; and which is always esteemed a very great affront, and was a piece of rudeness and insolence to the last degree in this man:

saying, answerest thou the high priest so? This he said, as well as gave the blow, either out of flattery to the high priest, or to clear himself from being a favourer of Christ; which, by what had been said, he might think would be suspected: some have thought this was Malchus, whose ear Christ had healed; if so, he was guilty of great ingratitude.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

One of the officers - One of the inferior officers, or those who attended on the court.

With the palm, of his hand - This may mean: “Gave him a blow either with the open hand or with a rod” - the Greek does not determine which. In whatever way it was done, it was a violation of all law and justice. Jesus had showed no disrespect for the office of the high priest, and if he had, this was not the proper way to punish it. The Syriac reads thus: “Smote the cheek of Jesus.” The Vulgate and Arabic: “Gave him a blow.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 22. One of the officers - struck Jesus — This was an outrage to all justice: for a prisoner, before he is condemned, is ever considered to be under the especial protection of justice; nor has any one a right to touch him, but according to the direction of the law. But it has been observed before that, if justice had been done to Christ, he could neither have suffered nor died.


 
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