^27:15During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd,¹⁸ whomever they wanted. ^27:16At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus¹⁹ Barabbas. ^27:17So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus²⁰ Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?”²¹^27:18(For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)²²^27:19As²³ he was sitting on the judgment seat,²⁴ his wife sent a message²⁵ to him:²⁶ “Have nothing to do with that innocent man;²⁷ I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream²⁸ about him today.” ^27:20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. ^27:21The²⁹ governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” ^27:22Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?”³⁰ They all said, “Crucify him!”³¹^27:23He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

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Footnotes

18 The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39).
19 Although the external evidence for the inclusion of “Jesus” before “Barabbas” (in vv. 16 and 17) is rather sparse, being restricted virtually to the Caesarean text (Θ f1 700* sys), the omission of the Lord’s name in apposition to “Barabbas” is such a strongly motivated reading that it can hardly be original. There is no good explanation for a scribe unintentionally adding Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun) before Βαραββᾶν (Barabban), especially since Barabbas is mentioned first in each verse (thus dittography is ruled out). Further, the addition of τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν (ton legomenon Christon, “who is called Christ”) to Ἰησοῦν in v. 17 makes better sense if Barabbas is also called “Jesus” (otherwise, a mere “Jesus” would have been a sufficient appellation to distinguish the two).
20 Again, as in v. 16, the name “Jesus” is supplied before “Barabbas” in Θ f1 700* sys Ormss (Θ 700* lack the article τόν [ton] before Βαραββᾶν [Barabban]). The same argument for accepting the inclusion of “Jesus” as original in the previous verse applies here as well.
21 Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” See the note on Christ in .
22 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
23 Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
24 Or “the judge’s seat.” The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and usually furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing an assembly or making official pronouncements, often of a judicial nature.
25 The word “message” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
26 Grk “saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
27 The Greek particle γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated here.
28 Or “suffered greatly in a dream.” See the discussion on the construction κατʼ ὄναρ (kat’ onar) in ὄναρ.
29 Grk “answering, the governor said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
30 Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” See the note on Christ in .
31 Grk “Him—be crucified!” The third person imperative is difficult to translate because English has no corresponding third person form for the imperative. The traditional translation “Let him be crucified” sounds as if the crowd is giving consent or permission. “He must be crucified” is closer, but it is more natural in English to convert the passive to active and simply say “Crucify him.” See the note on crucified in .

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

At the festival the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was because of envy that they had handed him over.

While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of him.”

The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.

Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Christ?”

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him!”

NLTNew Living Translation

Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas. As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)

Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. So the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

KJV 1900King James Version

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

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