John 18:23

Murdock Translation

Jesus replied, and said to him: If I have spoken evil bear witness of that evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“If I have spoken wrongly,”

King James Version (1611)
Iesus answered him, If I haue spoken euill, beare witnesse of the euill: but if well, why smitest thou me?

King James Version
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

English Standard Version
Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?"

New American Standard Bible
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"

New Century Version
Jesus answered him, "If I said something wrong, then show what it was. But if what I said is true, why do you hit me?"

Amplified Bible
Jesus replied, "If I have said anything wrong, make a formal statement about the wrong; but if [I spoke] properly, why did you strike Me?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus replied, "If I said something wrong, testify to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?"

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered, "If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua answered him, "If I said something wrong, state publicly what was wrong; but if I was right, why are you hitting me?"

Darby Translation
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus answered, "If I said something wrong, tell everyone here what was wrong. But if what I said is right, then why do you hit me?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Iesus answered him, If I haue euill spoken, beare witnes of the euil: but if I haue well spoken, why smitest thou me?

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus answered and said to him, If I have spoken any evil, testify to the evil; but if it is good, why did you strike me?

Good News Translation
Jesus answered him, "If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?"

Lexham English Bible
Jesus replied to him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify about what is wrong! But if I have spoken correctly, why do you strike me?"

Literal Translation
Jesus answered him, If I spoke evilly, bear witness concerning the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?

American Standard Version
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Bible in Basic English
Jesus said in answer, If I have said anything evil, give witness to the evil: but if I said what is true, why do you give me blows?

Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua answered him, "If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?"

International Standard Version
Jesus answered him, "If I have said anything wrong, tell me what it was.about the wrong">[fn] But if I have told the truth, why do you hit me?"

Etheridge Translation
Jeshu replied and said to him, If wickedly I have spoken, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why hast thou struck me ?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iesus aunswered hym, Yf I haue euyl spoken, beare witnesse of the euyl: But yf I haue well spoken, why smytest thou me?

English Revised Version
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

World English Bible
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Jesus answered, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Weymouth's New Testament
"If I have spoken wrongly," replied Jesus, "bear witness to it as wrong; but if rightly, why that blow?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Jhesus answeride to hym, If Y haue spokun yuel, bere thou witnessyng of yuel; but if Y seide wel, whi smytist thou me?

Update Bible Version
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why do you smite me?

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear testimony of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

New English Translation
Jesus replied, "If I have said something wrong, confirm what is wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?"

New King James Version
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, "If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I'm speaking the truth, why are you beating me?"

New Life Bible
Jesus said, "If I said anything wrong, tell Me what was wrong. If I said what was right, why did you hit Me?"

New Revised Standard
Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Jesus answered him - If, with abuse, I spake, bear witness of the abuse: but, if with respect, why, smitest thou me?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou me?

Revised Standard Version
Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iesus answered him. If I have evyll spoke beare witnes of ye evyll: yf I have well spoke why smytest thou me?

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus answered him, `If I spake ill, testify concerning the ill; and if well, why me dost thou smite?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus answered him: Yf I haue euell spoke, the beare wytnesse of euell: but yf I haue well spoken, why smytest thou me?

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus replied, if I have said any thing injurious, show then wherein; but if I said right, why do you smite me?

THE MESSAGE
Jesus replied, "If I've said something wrong, prove it. But if I've spoken the plain truth, why this slapping around?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus looked at him and said, "Tell me what I said wrong. But if I've only told the truth, then why do you hit me?"

Contextual Overview

¹³ and they led him first to the presence of Annas; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest of that year. ¹⁴ And it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews, that it was expedient, one man should die for the people. ¹⁵ And Simon Cephas and one other of the disciples went after Jesus. And that other disciple knew the high priest; and he entered with Jesus into the hall. ¹⁶ But Simon stood without at the door; and that other disciple, who knew the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought in Simon. ¹⁷ And the maid who kept the door, said to Simon: Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? And he said: I am not. ¹⁸ And the servants and officials were standing, and had placed a fire to warm themselves ¹⁹ And the high priest interrogated Jesus respecting his disciples, and respecting his doctrine. ²⁰ And Jesus said to him: I have discoursed openly with the people, and have at all times taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews assemble; and I have uttered nothing in private. ²¹ Why dost thou interrogate me? Ask them who have heard, what I said to them: lo, they know what I have said. ²² 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?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If: 2 Corinthians 10:1, 1 Peter 2:20-23

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 26:18 - what have I 2 Chronicles 18:23 - Zedekiah

Cross-References

Hebrews 10:22
Let us, therefore draw near, with a true heart, and with the confidence of faith, being sprinkled as to our hearts, and pure from an evil conscience, and our body being washed with pure water.

James 5:17
Elijah also was a man of sensations like us, and he prayed that rain might not descend upon the earth; and it descended not, for three years and six months.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus answered him,.... For the high priest took no notice of him, nor any of the sanhedrim, though the action was so insolent and indecent, both as to the manner in which it was done, and the person, an officer, by whom it was done; and considering the circumstances of it, in the palace of the high priest, in his presence, and before so grand a council, and whilst a cause was trying; and it was a barbarous, as well as an impious action, considering the person to whom it was done. Wherefore Jesus replies to him, without making use of his divine power as the Son of God, or discovering any warmth of spirit, and heat of passion, as a man, mildly and rationally argues with him;

if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: meaning, either if he had, to his knowledge, delivered any wicked doctrine in the course of his ministry, or had at that time said any evil thing of the high priest, or any other person, he desires that he would make it to appear, and give proper proof and evidence of it:

but if well, why smitest thou me? If he had said nothing contrary to truth, reason, and good manners, then he ought not to be used and treated in such an injurious way. And moreover, the officer ought to have been corrected by the Council, and have been made to pay the two hundred "zuzim", or pence, the line for such an affront, according to the Jewish canon, or more, according to the dignity of the person abused r.

r Misn. Bava Kama, c. 8. sect. 6.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Spoken evil - In my answer to the high priest. If there was any disrespect to the office, and lack of regard for the law which appointed him, then testify to the fact, and let punishment be inflicted according to the law; compare Exodus 22:28.

But if well ... - While an accused person is on trial he is under the protection of the court, and has a right to demand that all legal measures shall be taken to secure his rights. On this right Jesus insisted, and thus showed that, though he had no disposition to take revenge, yet he claimed that, when arraigned, strict justice should be done. This shows that his precept that when we are smitten on one cheek we should turn the other Matthew 5:39, is consistent with a firm demand that justice should be done us. That precept refers, besides, rather to private masters than to judicial proceedings. It does not demand that, when we are unjustly arraigned or assaulted, and when the law is in our favor, we should sacrifice our rights to the malignant accuser. Such a surrender would be injustice to the law and to the community, and be giving legal triumph to the wicked, and destroying the very end of all law. In private matters this effect would not follow, and we should there bear injuries without reviling or seeking for vengeance.