^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.

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Footnotes

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.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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.

NLTNew Living Translation

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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

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.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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