^18:28Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence.⁷⁵ (Now it was very early morning.)⁷⁶ They⁷⁷ did not go into the governor’s residence⁷⁸ so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal. ^18:29So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation⁷⁹ do you bring against this man?”⁸⁰^18:30They replied,⁸¹ “If this man⁸² were not a criminal,⁸³ we would not have handed him over to you.”⁸⁴

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Footnotes

75 Grk “to the praetorium.” The permanent residence of the Roman governor of Palestine was in Caesarea (Acts 23:35). The governor had a residence in Jerusalem which he normally occupied only during principal feasts or in times of political unrest. The location of this building in Jerusalem is uncertain, but is probably one of two locations: either (1) the fortress or tower of Antonia, on the east hill north of the temple area, which is the traditional location of the Roman praetorium since the 12th century, or (2) the palace of Herod on the west hill near the present Jaffa Gate. According to Philo ( 38 [299]) Pilate had some golden shields hung there, and according to Josephus ( 2.14.8 [2.301], 2.15.5 [2.328]) the later Roman governor Florus stayed there.
76 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
77 Grk “And they.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
78 Grk “into the praetorium.”
79 Or “charge.”
80 In light of the fact that Pilate had cooperated with them in Jesus’ arrest by providing Roman soldiers, the Jewish authorities were probably expecting Pilate to grant them permission to carry out their sentence on Jesus without resistance (the Jews were not permitted to exercise capital punishment under the Roman occupation without official Roman permission, cf. v. 31). They must have been taken somewhat by surprise by Pilate’s question “What accusation do you bring against this man,” because it indicated that he was going to try the prisoner himself. Thus Pilate was regarding the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin as only an inquiry and their decision as merely an accusation.
81 Grk “They answered and said to him.”
82 Grk “this one.”
83 Or “an evildoer”; Grk “one doing evil.”
84 Or “would not have delivered him over.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

“If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”

They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

“We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s residence. Now it was early, and they did not enter into the governor’s residence so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered and said to him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have handed him over to you!”

KJV 1900King James Version

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

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