the Second Week after Easter
Click here to join the effort!
Read the Bible
Amplified Bible
Matthew 27:21
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”
The Gouernour answered, and said vnto them, Whether of the twaine will ye that I release vnto you? They said, Barabbas.
The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
And the governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
Pilate said, "I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which do you want me to set free for you?" The people answered, "Barabbas."
But the governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
But the governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they replied.
Pilate asked the crowd again, "Which of these two men do you want me to set free?" "Barabbas!" they replied.
"Which of the two do you want me to set free for you?" asked the governor. "Bar-Abba!" they answered.
And the governor answering said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.
Pilate said, "I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which one do you want me to set free for you?" The people answered, "Barabbas!"
Then the gouernour answered, and said vnto them, Whether of the twaine will ye that I let loose vnto you? And they said, Barabbas.
And the governor answered and said to them, Which of these two do you want me to release to you? They said, Bar-Abbas.
But Pilate asked the crowd, "Which one of these two do you want me to set free for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered.
So the governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas!"
And answering, the governor said to them, From the two, which do you wish that I release to you? And they said, Barabbas.
But the governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.
But the ruler made answer and said to them, Which of the two is it your pleasure that I let go free? And they said, Barabbas.
But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Bar-Abba!"
So the governor said to them, "Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?" They said, "Barabbas!"
And the governor answered and said to them, Whom will you that I shall release to you of these two? Then they said, Bar-aba.
And the president answered, and said to them: Which of the two, will ye, that I release to you? And they said: Bar Abas.
The deputie aunswered, and saide vnto them: Whether of the twayne wyll ye that I let loose vnto you? They saide, Barabbas.
But the governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.
But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"
The governour answering said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release to you?
So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!"
But the iustice answeride, and seide to hem, Whom of the tweyn wolen ye, that be delyuerit to you? And thei seiden, Barabas.
But the governor answered and said to them, Which of the two do you want that I release to you? And they said, Barabbas.
The governor answered and said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release to you? They said, Barabbas.
The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas!"
The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas!"
So the governor asked again, "Which of these two do you want me to release to you?" The crowd shouted back, "Barabbas!"
The leader of the country said to them, "Which one of the two do you want me to let go free?" They said, "Barabbas."
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."
Now the governor, answering, said unto them - Which of the two desire ye I should release unto you? And they said - Barabbas!
And the governor answering, said to them: Whether will you of the two to be released unto you? But they said: Barabbas.
The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barab'bas."
Then the debite answered and sayde vnto them: whether of the twayne wyll ye that I let loosse vnto you? And they sayde Barrabas.
and the governor answering said to them, `Which of the two will ye [that] I shall release to you?' And they said, `Barabbas.'
Then answered the debyte, & sayde vnto the: Whether of these two wyl ye yt I geue lowse vnto you? They sayde: Barrabas:
the governor therefore having asked, which of the two would you have me release? they said, Barabbas.
The governor asked, "Which of the two do you want me to pardon?" They said, "Barabbas!"
"Pick your poison and tell me which one you will have turned loose," said the governor."Barabbas the Bandito!" they all cried in unison.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Reciprocal: Psalms 88:8 - made Matthew 27:17 - Whom Luke 20:14 - let Luke 23:13 - General
Cross-References
"Suppose my father touches me and feels my skin; then I will be seen by him as a cheat (imposter), and I will bring his curse on me and not a blessing."
But as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge and placed my trust in Him, That I may tell of all Your works.
As I create the praise of his lips, Peace, peace, to him who is far away [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near!" Says the LORD; "And I will heal him [making his lips blossom anew with thankful praise]."
Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The governor answered and said unto them,.... A second time, after some time had been allowed and taken up to consider of the matter, and which the chief priests and elders improved among the people against Jesus.
Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? for as these two were proposed, one of them must be released; and it lay in the breast of the people to choose which they would:
they said, Barabbas; so that Christ was not only numbered among, and reckoned with transgressors, but he was accounted worse than the worst of them; a seditious person, a robber, and a murderer was preferred before him: see Acts 3:14.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
See also the parallel places in Mark 15:6-14; Luke 23:17-23; John 18:39-40.
Matthew 27:15
At that feast - The feast of the Passover.
The governor was wont to release ... - that is, was âaccustomedâ to release.
From what this custom arose, or by whom it was introduced, is not known. It was probably adopted to secure popularity among the Jews, and to render the government of the Romans less odious. Any little indulgence granted to the Jews during the heavy oppression of the Romans would serve to conciliate their favor, and to keep the nation from sedition. It might happen often that when persons were arraigned before the Romans on charge of sedition, some special favorite of the people, or some leader, might be among the number. It is evident that if they had the privilege of recovering such a person, it would serve much to allay their feelings, and make tolerable the yoke under which they groaned.
Matthew 27:16
A notable prisoner - The word ânotableâ means one that is âdistinguishedâ in any way either for great virtues or great crimes.
In this place it evidently means the latter He was perhaps the leader of a band who had been guilty of sedition, and had committed murder in an insurrection, Luke 23:19.
Matthew 27:17
Whom will ye that I release ... - Pilate was satisfied of the innocence of Jesus, Luke 23:13-16
He was therefore desirous of releasing him. He expected to release one to the people. He knew that Jesus, though condemned by the chief priests, was yet popular among the people He therefore attempted in this manner to rescue him from the hands of the priests, and expected that the people would prefer Him to an odious and infamous robber and murderer. Had the people been left to themselves it would probably have been done.
Jesus, which is called Christ - That is, Jesus, who claims to be the Messiah. Pilate probably did not believe it, or care much for it. He used the name which Jesus had acquired among the people. Perhaps, also, he thought that they would be more likely to ask him to be released if he was presented to them as the Messiah. Mark Mark 15:9 adds that he asked them whether they would that he should release âthe King of the Jews?â It is probable that he asked the question in both ways. Perhaps it was several times repeated, and Matthew has recorded one way in which it was asked, and Mark another. He asked them whether they would demand him who âwas called the Christ,â expecting that they would be moved by the claims of the Messiah - claims which, when he entered Jerusalem in triumph, and in the temple, they had acknowledged. He asked them whether they would have the âKing of the Jewsâ probably to ridicule the priests who had delivered him on that charge. He did it to show the people how absurd the accusation was. There Jesus stood, apparently a poor, inoffensive, unarmed, and despised man. Herod had set him at naught and scourged him, and sent him back. The charge, therefore, of the priests, that he was a âkingâ opposed to the Roman emperor, was supremely ridiculous; and Pilate, expecting that the people would see it so, hoped also that they would ask that he might be released.
Matthew 27:18
For he knew that for envy ... - This was envy at his popularity.
He drew away the people from them. This Pilate understood, probably, from his knowledge of the pride and ambition of the rulers, and from the fact that no danger could arise from a person that appeared like Jesus. If Pilate knew this, he was bound to release him himself. As a governor and judge, he was under obligation to protect the innocent, and should, in spite of all the opposition of the Jews, at once have set him at liberty. But the Scriptures could not then have been fulfilled. It was necessary, in order that an atonement should be made. that Jesus should be condemned to die. At the same time. it shows the wisdom of the overruling providence of God, that he was condemned by a man who was satisfied of his innocence, and who proclaimed before his accusers his âfull beliefâ that there was no fault in him.
Matthew 27:19
When he was set down on the judgment-seat - Literally, âWhile he was sitting.â This message was probably received when he had resumed his place on the judgment-seat, after Jesus had been sent to Herod.
See the notes at Matthew 27:14.
His wife sent unto him - The reason why she sent to him is immediately stated - that she had a dream respecting him. We know nothing more of her. We do not know whether she had ever seen the Saviour herself, but it would seem that she was apprised of what was taking place, and probably anticipated that the affair-would involve her husband in trouble.
Have thou nothing to do ... - That is, do not condemn him. Perhaps she was afraid that the vengeance of heaven would follow her husband and family if he condemned the innocent.
That just man - The word âjust,â here, has the sense of âinnocent,â or not guilty. She might have been satisfied of his innocence from other sources as well as from the dream.
I have suffered many things ... - Dreams were considered as indications of the divine will, and among the Romans and Greeks, as well as the Jews, great reliance was placed on them. Her mind was probably agitated with the subject. She was satisfied of the innocence of Jesus; and, knowing that the Jews would make every effort to secure his condemnation, it was not unnatural that her mind should be excited during her sleep, perhaps with a frightful prospect of the judgments that would descend on the family of Pilate if Jesus was condemned. She therefore sent to him to secure, if possible, his release.
This day - It was now early in the morning. The Jewish âdayâ began at sunset, and she employed the usual language of the Jews respecting time. The dream was, in fact, in the night.
Matthew 27:20
Persuaded the multitude - The release of a prisoner was to be to the people, not to the rulers.
The rulers, therefore, in order to secure the condemnation of Jesus, urged on the people to demand Barabbas. The people were greatly under the influence of the priests. Galileans among the citizens of Jerusalem were held in contempt. The priests turned the pretensions of Jesus into ridicule. Hence, in a popular tumult, among a flexible and changing multitude, they easily excited those who, but a little before, had cried Hosanna, to cry, Crucify him.
Matthew 27:21
Whether of the twain? - Which of the two, Jesus or Barabbas?
Matthew 27:23
And the governor said, Why? - Luke informs us that Pilate put this question to them âthree times,â so anxious was he to release him.
He affirmed that he had found no cause of death in him. He said, therefore, that he would chastise him and let him go. He expected, probably, by causing him to be publicly whipped, to excite their compassion, to satisfy âthem,â and thus to evade the demands of the priests, and to set him at liberty with the consent of the people. So weak and irresolute was this Roman governor! Satisfied of his innocence, he should at once have preferred âjustice to popularity,â and acted as became a magistrate in acquitting the innocent.
Let him be crucified - See the notes at Matthew 27:39. Luke says they were instant with loud voices demanding this. They urged it. They demanded it with a popular clamor.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 27:21. They said, Barabbas. — What a fickle crowd! A little before they all hailed him as the Son of David, and acknowledged him as a gift from God; now they prefer a murderer to him! But this it appears they did at the instigation of the chief priests. We see here how dangerous wicked priests are in the Church of Christ; when pastors are corrupt, they are capable of inducing their flock to prefer Barabbas to Jesus, the world to God, and the pleasures of sense to the salvation of their souls. The invidious epithet which a certain statesman gave to the people at large was, in its utmost latitude, applicable to these Jews, - they were a SWINISH MULTITUDE.
