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Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Lexham English Bible

John 18:21

Why are you asking me? Ask those who heard what I have said to them! Behold, these people know what I said."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Priest;   Prisoners;  

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);   False Witness;   Peter;   Pilate;   Self-Control;   Trial of Jesus;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Officer;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Annas;   Jesus Christ, the Arrest and Trial of;   Ostraca;   Peter, Simon;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”
King James Version (1611)
Why askest thou me? Aske them which heard me, what I haue said vnto them: behold, they know what I said.
King James Version
Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
English Standard Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said."
New American Standard Bible
"Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said."
New Century Version
So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said."
Amplified Bible
"Why question Me? Question those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said."
Legacy Standard Bible
Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, they know what I said."
Berean Standard Bible
Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said."
Contemporary English Version
Why are you questioning me? Why don't you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said."
Complete Jewish Bible
so why are you questioning me? Question the ones who heard what I said to them; look, they know what I said."
Darby Translation
Why demandest thou of me? Demand of those who have heard, what I have spoken to them; behold, they know what I have said.
Easy-to-Read Version
So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Why askest thou mee? aske them which heard mee what I sayde vnto them: beholde, they knowe what I sayd.
George Lamsa Translation
Why do you ask me? ask those who heard what I have spoken to them; behold, they know everything which I said.
Good News Translation
Why, then, do you question me? Question the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them—they know what I said."
Literal Translation
Why do you question Me? Question those hearing what I spoke to them: behold, these know what I said!
American Standard Version
Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: behold, these know the things which I said.
Bible in Basic English
Why are you questioning me? put questions to my hearers about what I have said to them: they have knowledge of what I said.
Hebrew Names Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said."
International Standard Version
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said. These are the people who know what I said."
Etheridge Translation
Why askest thou me ? Ask them who have heard what I have said with them. Behold, they know every thing that I have said.
Murdock Translation
Why dost thou interrogate me? Ask them who have heard, what I said to them: lo, they know what I have said.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why askest thou me? Aske the which hearde me, what I haue sayd vnto the: Beholde, they can tell what I sayde.
English Revised Version
Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: behold, these know the things which I said.
World English Bible
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, these know the things which I said."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Why askest thou me? Ask them that heard me, what I said to them: behold, they know what I said.
Weymouth's New Testament
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what it was I said to them: these witnesses here know what I said."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
What axist thou me? axe hem that herden, what Y haue spokun to hem; lo! thei witen, what thingis Y haue seid.
Update Bible Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those that have heard [me], what I spoke to them: look, these know the things which I said.
Webster's Bible Translation
Why dost thou ask me? ask them who heard me, what I have said to them: behold, they know what I have said.
New English Translation
Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. They know what I said."
New King James Version
Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said."
New Living Translation
Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said."
New Life Bible
Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said."
New Revised Standard
Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Why questionest thou me? question them who have heard, what I spake unto them. See! these, know what, I, said.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Why askest thou me? Ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them. Behold they know what things I have said.
Revised Standard Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Why axest thou me? Axe them whiche hearde me what I sayde vnto the. Beholde they can tell what I sayde.
Young's Literal Translation
why me dost thou question? question those having heard what I spake to them; lo, these have known what I said.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Why axest thou me? Axe the yt haue herde, what I haue spoken vnto the: beholde, they can tell what I haue sayde.
Mace New Testament (1729)
why do you question me? ask those who heard me, what discourse I had with them: they know very well what I said.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Why ask me what I said? Ask those that heard me."

Contextual Overview

13 and brought him to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was better that one man die for the people.) 15 So Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. (Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.) 16 But Peter was standing by the door outside. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the female slave who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "You are not also one of the disciples of this man, are you?" He said, "I am not!" 18 (Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. And Peter was also standing there with them and warming himself.) 19 So the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus replied to him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple courts where all the Jews assemble, and I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why are you asking me? Ask those who heard what I have said to them! Behold, these people know what I said." 22 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?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ask: Matthew 26:59, Matthew 26:60, Mark 14:55-59, Luke 22:67, Acts 24:12, Acts 24:13, Acts 24:18-20

Reciprocal: Matthew 26:55 - I sat

Cross-References

Genesis 11:5
Then Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that humankind was building.
Genesis 11:7
Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand each other's language."
Genesis 18:1
And Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he was sitting in the doorway of the tent at the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:24
If perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city, will you also sweep them away and not forgive the place on account of the fifty righteous in her midst?
Exodus 3:8
And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from this land to a good and wide land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
Exodus 33:5
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if one moment I were to go up among you, I would destroy you. And now take down your ornaments from on you, and I will decide what I will do to you."
Deuteronomy 8:2
And you shall remember all of the way that Yahweh your God led you during these forty years in the desert in order to humble you and to test you to know what is in your heart, whether you would diligently keep his commandments or not.
Deuteronomy 13:3
you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer, for Yahweh your God is testing you to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all of your heart and with all of your inner self.
Joshua 22:22
"Yahweh, God of gods! Yahweh, God of gods knows. And let Israel itself know, if it was in rebellion or treachery against Yahweh, do not spare us this day
Job 34:22
There is no darkness, and there is no deep shadow where instigators of mischief might hide themselves.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Why askest thou me?.... He seems surprised at the high priest's conduct, that he should put such questions to him, who stood bound before him; was brought there as a criminal, and was the defendant, and not obliged to accuse himself; nor could it be thought, that whatever evidence or testimony he should give, would have much weight with the persons before whom he stood.

Ask them which heard me, what I said unto them; he appeals to his hearers, many of whom were then present; and these his enemies, even his worst enemies, so clear was his case, so free was his doctrine from sedition and blasphemy, so innocent was he in the whole of his deportment and conduct, that he even submits to have his case issued and determined by what his hearers should say of him; and these not his friends, but his enemies; see Isaiah 50:8;

behold, they, or these,

know what I have said; pointing at some persons present, perhaps the very officers who had been sent to take him before, but returned without him, declaring that never man spake like him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Why askest thou me? Ask them ... - Jesus here insisted on his rights, and reproves the high priest for his unjust and illegal manner of extorting a confession from him. If he had done wrong, or taught erroneous and seditious doctrines, it was easy to prove it, and the course which he had a right to demand was that they should establish the charge by fair and incontrovertible evidence. We may here learn:

  1. That, though Jesus was willing to be reviled and persecuted, yet he also insisted that justice should be done him.
  2. He was conscious of innocence, and he had been so open in his conduct that he could appeal to the vast multitudes which had heard him as witnesses in his favor.
  3. It is proper for us, when persecuted and reviled, meekly but firmly to insist on our rights, and to demand that justice shall be done us. Laws are made to protect the innocent as well as to condemn the guilty.
  4. Christians, like their Saviour, should so live that they may confidently appeal to all who have known them as witnesses of the sincerity, purity, and rectitude of their lives, 1 Peter 4:13-16.

 
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