John 18:21

Amplified Bible

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

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Why ask me what I said? Ask those that heard me."

Legacy Standard Bible
Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; behold, 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."

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.

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.

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."

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

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.

Literal Translation
Why do you question Me? Question those hearing what I spoke to them: behold, these know 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.'

New Century Version
So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. They know what I said."

New English Translation
Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said. 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."

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

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.

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."

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.

Berean Standard Bible
Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely 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.

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

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

Easy-to-Read Version
So why do you question me? Ask the people who heard my teaching. 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."

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."

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.

Contextual Overview

¹³and led Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people. ¹⁵Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, so he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the [residence of the] high priest; ¹⁶but Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple (John), who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter inside. ¹⁷Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." ¹⁸Now the servants and the officers had made a fire of coals, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself. ¹⁹Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching. ²⁰Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where all the Jews habitually congregate; and I said nothing in secret. ²¹"Why question Me? Question those who have heard what I said to them. They know what I said."²²But 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?"

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
Now the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

Genesis 11:7
"Come, let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) go down and there confuse and mix up their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech."

Genesis 18:1
Now the LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth trees of Mamre [in Hebron], while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

Genesis 18:24
"Suppose there are fifty righteous [people] within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

Exodus 3:8
"So I have come down to rescue them from the hand (power) of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a land [that is] good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]—to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Exodus 33:5
For the LORD had said to Moses, "Say to the sons of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, [penitently] take off your ornaments, so that I may know what to do with you.'"

Deuteronomy 8:2
"And you shall remember [always] all the ways which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart (mind), whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Deuteronomy 13:3
you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being].

Joshua 22:22
"The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD, do not save us this day!

Job 34:22
"There is no darkness nor deep shadow Where the evildoers may 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.