^23:18But they all shouted out together,⁴⁶ “Take this man⁴⁷ away! Release Barabbas for us!” ^23:19(This⁴⁸ was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection⁴⁹ started in the city, and for murder.)⁵⁰^23:20Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted⁵¹ to release Jesus. ^23:21But they kept on shouting,⁵² “Crucify, crucify⁵³ him!” ^23:22A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty⁵⁴ of no crime deserving death.⁵⁵ I will therefore flog⁵⁶ him and release him.” ^23:23But they were insistent,⁵⁷ demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. ^23:24So⁵⁸ Pilate⁵⁹ decided⁶⁰ that their demand should be granted. ^23:25He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over⁶¹ to their will.⁶²

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Footnotes

46 Grk “together, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
47 Grk “this one.” The reference to Jesus as “this man” is pejorative in this context.
48 Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).
49 Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.
50 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
51 The account pictures a battle of wills—the people versus Pilate. Pilate is consistently portrayed in Luke’s account as wanting to release Jesus because he believed him to be innocent.
52 Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
53 This double present imperative is emphatic. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63–66 §§163–70); Josephus ( 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
54 Grk “no cause of death I found in him.”
55 The refrain of innocence comes once again. Pilate tried to bring some sense of justice, believing Jesus had committed no crime deserving death.
56 Or “scourge” ( παιδεύω 2.b.γ). See the note on “flogged” in v. .
57 Though a different Greek term is used here ( ἐπίκειμαι), this remark is like 23:5.
58 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the crowd’s cries prevailing.
59 Finally Pilate gave in. He decided crucifying one Galilean teacher was better than facing a riot. Justice lost out in the process, because he did not follow his own verdict.
60 Although some translations render ἐπέκρινεν (epekrinen) here as “passed sentence” or “gave his verdict,” the point in context is not that Pilate sentenced Jesus to death here, but that finally, although convinced of Jesus’ innocence, he gave in to the crowd’s incessant demand to crucify an innocent man.
61 Or “delivered up.”
62 He handed Jesus over to their will. Here is where Luke places the major blame for Jesus’ death. It lies with the Jewish nation, especially the leadership, though in Acts 4:24–27 he will bring in the opposition of Herod, Pilate, and all people.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then they all cried out together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!” (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.”

But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But they all cried out in unison, saying, “Take this man away, and release for us Barabbas!” (who had been thrown in prison because of a certain insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder). And Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept crying out, saying, “Crucify! Crucify him!” So he said to them a third time, “Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation deserving death in him. Therefore I will punish him and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he be crucified. And their cries prevailed. And Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. And he released the one who had been thrown into prison because of insurrection and murder, whom they were asking for, but Jesus he handed over to their will.

KJV 1900King James Version

And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

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