John 18:21
New International Version
Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely 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.”

English Standard Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; 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.”

Berean Literal Bible
Why do you question Me? Question those having heard what I spoke to them. Behold, they know what I said."

King James Bible
Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, 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 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.”

NASB 1995
“Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

NASB 1977
“Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, these 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.”

Amplified Bible
Why question Me? Question those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said.”

Christian Standard Bible
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Why do you question Me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I spoke with them, behold, they know what I have 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."

Douay-Rheims Bible
Why asketh thou me? ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them: behold they know what things I have said.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said to them. They know what I've 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."

International Standard Version
Why do you question me? Question those who heard what I said. These are the people who know what I said."

Literal Standard Version
why do you question Me? Question those having heard what I spoke to them; behold, these have known what I said.”

Majority Standard Bible
Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”

New American Bible
Why ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. They know what I said.”

NET Bible
Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. They know what I said."

New Revised Standard Version
Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.”

New Heart English Bible
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them; surely they know what 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.

Weymouth 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."

World English Bible
Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. Behold, they know the things which I said.”

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.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Before the High Priest
20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.” 22When 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?”…

Cross References
John 18:20
"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus answered. "I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.

John 18:22
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?"


Treasury of Scripture

Why ask you me? ask them which heard me, what I have said to them: behold, they know what I said.

ask.

Matthew 26:59,60
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; …

Mark 14:55-59
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none…

Luke 22:67
Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

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Askest Demand Heard Hearers Question Questioning Questions Surely Witnesses
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Askest Demand Heard Hearers Question Questioning Questions Surely Witnesses
John 18
1. Judas betrays Jesus.
6. The officers fall to the ground.
10. Peter cuts off Malchus' ear.
12. Jesus is taken, and led unto Annas and Caiaphas.
15. Peter's denial.
19. Jesus examined before Caiaphas.
25. Peter's second and third denial.
28. Jesus arraigned before Pilate.
36. His kingdom.
40. The Jews prefer Barabbas.














(21) Why askest thou me?--Comp. John 5:31. The pronoun "Me" is not the emphatic word as it is generally taken to be. The stress is on the interrogative, "Why, for what purpose, dost thou ask Me? If you want witnesses, ask them which heard Me."

Behold, they know what I said.--Better, behold, these know what I said. He pointed probably to some who were then present. In the next verse there is a reference to the "officers" who, as we know from John 7:32; John 7:46, had heard this doctrine.

Verse 21. - Why askest thou me? If thou wantest evidence touching my design, my disciples, or my teaching, ask, interrogate, those who have heard me, what I have said to them. Lo, these (pointing to numbers in the angry crowd around him) know what I spake unto them (the ἐγώ at the end of this sentence is very emphatic). Christ thus rebukes the craftiness and hypocritical endeavor of his enemies to induce him to inculpate his disciples, or to give his prosecutors matter against him. To false witnesses he preserved an invincible silence, and before Caiaphas and Pilate he answered to many of their queries not a single word, insomuch that these governors marveled greatly. However, the case was altered when Caiaphas, in full Sanhedrin, officially challenged him to say whether he was the Christ, and adjured him to declare whether he was the Son of God. Then, on the most public scale, knowing well the issues of his declaration, and of his oath-bound word, he did not hesitate to confess that he was the Son of God, and would come in the glory of his Father, and that he was no less than the Christ of God. On the present occasion, when Annas was seeking to justify his own craft, and to utilize the disgraceful betrayal which he had diplomatically and cruelly contrived, Jesus refused to incriminate either himself or his disciples. Renan has the temerity to say that this great announcement was quite superfluous, and probably was never made. Any conclusion whatever may be derived from historical documents, if such liberties may be taken with impunity.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Why
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

are you asking
ἐρωτᾷς (erōtas)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2065: Apparently from ereo; to interrogate; by implication, to request.

Me?
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

Ask
ἐρώτησον (erōtēson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2065: Apparently from ereo; to interrogate; by implication, to request.

those who
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

heard
ἀκηκοότας (akēkootas)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

My message.
ἐλάλησα (elalēsa)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

Surely
ἴδε (ide)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400: See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!

they
οὗτοι (houtoi)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

know
οἴδασιν (oidasin)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

what
(ha)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

I
ἐγώ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

said.”
εἶπον (eipon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.


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NT Gospels: John 18:21 Why do you ask me? Ask those (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 18:20
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