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Contemporary English Version

John 18:31

Pilate told them, "Take him and judge him by your own laws." The crowd replied, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jesus, the Christ;   Pilate, Pontius;   Priest;   Prisoners;   Thompson Chain Reference - Pilate, Pontius;   Pontius Pilate;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Courts of Justice;   Punishments;   Roman Empire, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pilate or Pontius Pilate;   Sanhedrin;   Stephen;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Rome;   Sanhedrin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Persecution;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Blasphemy;   Council;   Jesus Christ;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Archaeology and Biblical Study;   Capital Punishment;   Crimes and Punishments;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   Sanhedrin;   Trial of Jesus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Blasphemy;   Pilate;   Sanhedrin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Crucifixion;   Nation (2);   Perverting ;   Pilate;   Roman Law in the Nt;   Sanhedrin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sanhedrin or Sanhedrim;   Synagogue;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jacob;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Courts, Judicial;   Jesus Christ, the Arrest and Trial of;   Pilate, Pontius;   Sanhedrin;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Avenger of Blood;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Pilate said to them, "You take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jewish leaders answered, "But your law does not allow us to punish anyone by killing them."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then sayd Pylate vnto the: take ye him and iudge him after youre awne lawe. Then the Iewes sayde vnto him. It is not lawfull for vs to put eny ma to deeth.
Hebrew Names Version
Pilate therefore said to them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." Therefore the Yehudim said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"
International Standard Version
Pilate told them, "You take him and try him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "It is not legal for us to put anyone to death."
New American Standard Bible
So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."
New Century Version
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we are not allowed to put anyone to death," the Jews answered.
Update Bible Version
Pilate therefore said to them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Pilate to them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
English Standard Version
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."
World English Bible
Pilate therefore said to them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then said Pilate to them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Weymouth's New Testament
"Take him yourselves," said Pilate, "and judge him by your Law." "We have no power," replied the Jews, "to put any man to death."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne Pilat seith to hem, Take ye hym, and deme ye him, after youre lawe. And the Jewis seiden to hym, It is not leueful to vs to sle ony man;
English Revised Version
Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Berean Standard Bible
"You take Him and judge Him by your own law," Pilate told them. "We are not permitted to execute anyone," the Jews replied.
Amplified Bible
Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your own law." The Jews said, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."
American Standard Version
Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Bible in Basic English
Then Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and let him be judged by your law. But the Jews said to him, We have no right to put any man to death.
Complete Jewish Bible
Pilate said to them, "You take him and judge him according to your own law." The Judeans replied, "We don't have the legal power to put anyone to death."
Darby Translation
Pilate therefore said to them, Take him, ye, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not permitted to us to put any one to death;
Etheridge Translation
Pilatos saith to them, Take you him, and judge him according to your law.
Murdock Translation
Pilate said to them: Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said to him: It is not lawful for us to put a man to death:
King James Version (1611)
Then saide Pilate vnto them, Take ye him, and iudge him according to your law. The Iewes therefore said vnto him, It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death:
New Living Translation
"Then take him away and judge him by your own law," Pilate told them. "Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone," the Jewish leaders replied.
New Life Bible
Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and give Him a trial by your Law." The Jews said to him, "It is against our Law to put anyone to death."
New Revised Standard
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law." The Jews replied, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then sayde Pilate vnto them, Take yee him, and iudge him after your owne Lawe. Then the Iewes sayde vnto him, It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death.
George Lamsa Translation
Then said Pilate to them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your own law. The Jews said to him, We have no power to kill a man;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Pilate, therefore, said unto them - Ye, take him, and, according to your law, judge ye him. The Jews said unto him - Unto us, it is not allowed, to kill anyone! -
Douay-Rheims Bible
Pilate therefore said to them: Take him you, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
Revised Standard Version
Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde Pilate vnto them: Take ye him, and iudge him after your owne lawe. The Iewes therfore sayde vnto hym: It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death.
Good News Translation
Pilate said to them, "Then you yourselves take him and try him according to your own law." They replied, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death."
Christian Standard Bible®
Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.”
King James Version
Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Lexham English Bible
So Pilate said to them, "You take him and judge him according to your law!" The Jews said to him, "It is not permitted for us to kill anyone,"
Literal Translation
Then Pilate said to them, You take Him and judge Him according to your own Law. Then the Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,
Young's Literal Translation
Pilate, therefore, said to them, `Take ye him -- ye -- and according to your law judge him;' the Jews, therefore, said to him, `It is not lawful to us to put any one to death;'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Pilate vnto the: Take ye him, and iudge him after yor lawe. Then sayde ye Iewes vnto him: It is not laufull for vs to put eny ma to death.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Pilate then said to them, take him your selves, and judge him according to your law. but the Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death.
THE MESSAGE
Pilate said, "You take him. Judge him by your law." The Jews said, "We're not allowed to kill anyone." (This would confirm Jesus' word indicating the way he would die.)
New English Translation
Pilate told them, "Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him according to your own law!" The Jewish leaders replied, "We cannot legally put anyone to death."
New King James Version
Then Pilate said to them, "You take Him and judge Him according to your law." Therefore the Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"
Simplified Cowboy Version
Pilate shook his head and said, "Then take him back and deal with him yourselves according to your own law.""But we can't execute anyone," they exclaimed.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death,"
Legacy Standard Bible
So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,"

Contextual Overview

28 It was early in the morning when Jesus was taken from Caiaphas to the building where the Roman governor stayed. But the crowd waited outside. Any of them who had gone inside would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal. 29 Pilate came out and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" 30 They answered, "He is a criminal! That's why we brought him to you." 31 Pilate told them, "Take him and judge him by your own laws." The crowd replied, "We are not allowed to put anyone to death." 32 And so what Jesus said about his death would soon come true. 33 Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?" 35 "You know I'm not a Jew!" Pilate said. "Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world." 37 "So you are a king," Pilate replied. "You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him. "I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Take: John 19:6, John 19:7, Acts 25:18-20

It: John 19:15, Genesis 49:10, Ezekiel 21:26, Ezekiel 21:27, Hosea 3:4, Hosea 3:5

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:43 - General John 8:59 - took Acts 18:15 - for Acts 24:6 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 18:20
The Lord said, "Abraham, I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are doing all kinds of evil things.
Genesis 18:22
The men turned and started toward Sodom. But the Lord stayed with Abraham,
Genesis 18:27
Abraham answered, "I am nothing more than the dust of the earth. Please forgive me, Lord , for daring to speak to you like this.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Matthew 7:11
As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give good things to people who ask.
Luke 11:8
He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking.
Luke 18:1
Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up:
Ephesians 6:18
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.
Hebrews 4:16
So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Pilate unto them,.... Either ironically, knowing that they did not, or it was not in their power, to judge in capital causes; or seriously, and with some indignation, abhorring such a method of procedure they would have had him gone into, to condemn a man without knowing his crime, and having evidence of it:

take ye him, and judge him according to your law; this he said, as choosing to understand them in no other sense, than that he had broken some peculiar law of theirs, though they had otherwise suggested; and as giving them liberty to take him away to one of their courts, and proceed against him as their law directed, and inflict some lesser punishment on him than death, such as scourging, c. which they still had a power to do, and did make use of:

the Jews therefore said unto him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death thereby insinuating, that he was guilty of a crime, which deserved death, and which they could not inflict; not that they were of such tender consciences, that they could not put him to death, or that they had no law to punish him with death, provided he was guilty; but because judgments in capital cases had ceased among them; nor did they try causes relating to life and death, the date of which they often make to be forty years before the destruction of the temple i; and which was much about, or a little before the time these words were spoken: not that this power was taken away wholly from them by the Romans; though since their subjection to the empire, they had not that full and free exercise of it as before; but through the great increase of iniquity, particularly murder, which caused such frequent executions, that they were weary of them k; and through the negligence and indolence of the Jewish sanhedrim, and their removal from the room Gazith, where they only judged capital causes l: as for the stoning of Stephen, and the putting of some to death against whom Saul gave his voice, these were the outrages of the zealots, and were not according to a formal process in any court of judicature. Two executions are mentioned in their Talmud; the one is of a priest's daughter that was burnt for a harlot m, and the other of the stoning of Ben Stada in Lydda n; the one, according to them, seems to be before, the other after the destruction of the temple; but these dates are not certain, nor to be depended upon: for since the destruction of their city and temple, and their being carried captive into other lands, it is certain that the power of life and death has been wholly taken from them; by which it appears, that the sceptre is removed from Judah, and a lawgiver from between his feet; and this they own almost in the same words as here expressed; for they say o of a certain man worthy of death,

"why dost thou scourge him? he replies, because he lay with a beast; they say to him, hast thou any witnesses? he answers, yes; Elijah came in the form of a man, and witnessed; they say, if it be so, he deserves to die; to which he answers, "from the day we have been carried captive out of our land, לית לן רשותא למקטל, we have no power to put to death".''

But at this time, their power was not entirely gone; but the true reason of their saying these words is, that they might wholly give up Christ to the Roman power, and throw off the reproach of his death from themselves; and particularly they were desirous he should die the reproachful and painful death of the cross, which was a Roman punishment: had they took him and judged him according to their law, which must have been as a false prophet, or for blasphemy or idolatry, the death they must have condemned him to, would have been stoning; but it was crucifixion they were set upon; and therefore deliver him up as a traitor, and a seditious person, in order thereunto.

i T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 15. 1. Sanhedrin, fol. 41. 1. T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 1. & 24. 2. Juchasin, fol. 51. 1. Moses Kotsensis pr. affirm. 99. k T. Bab. Avoda Zara fol. 8. 2. Juchasin, fol. 21. 1. l Gloss. in T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 8, 2. m T. Hieros. Sanhedrin, fol. 24. 2. n Ib. fol. 25. 4. o T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 58. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Judge him ... - The Jews had not directly informed him that they had judged him and pronounced him worthy of death. Pilate therefore tells them to inquire into the ease; to ascertain the proof of his guilt, and to decide on what the law of Moses pronounced. It has been doubted whether this gave them the power of putting him to death, or whether it was not rather a direction to them to inquire into the case, and inflict on him, if they judged him guilty, the mild punishment which they were yet at liberty to inflict on criminals. Probably the former is intended. As they lied already determined that in their view this case demanded the punishment of death, so in their answer to Pilate they implied that they had pronounced on it, and that he ought to die. They still, therefore, pressed it on his attention, and refused to obey his injunction to judge him.

It is not lawful ... - The Jews were accustomed to put persons to death still in a popular tumult Acts 7:59-60, but they had not the power to do it in any case in a regular way of justice. When they first laid the plan of arresting the Saviour, they did it to kill him Matthew 26:4; but whether they intended to do this secretly, or in a tumult, or by the concurrence of the Roman governor, is uncertain. The Jews themselves say that the power of inflicting capital punishment was taken away about 40 years before the destruction of the temple; but still it is probable that in the time of Christ they had the power of determining on capital cases in instances that pertained to religion (Josephus, Antiq., b. 14: John 10:0, Section 2; compare Jewish Wars, b. 6 chapter 2, Section 4). In this case, however, it is supposed that their sentence was to be confirmed by the Roman governor. But it is admitted on all hands that they had not this power in the case of seditions, tumults, or treason against the Roman government. If they had this power in the case of blasphemy and irreligion, they did not dare to exert it here, because they were afraid of tumult among the people Matthew 26:5; hence, they sought to bring in the authority of Pilate. To do this, they endeavored to make it appear that it was a case of sedition and treason, and one which therefore demanded the interference of the Roman governor. Hence, it was on this charge that they arraigned him, Luke 23:2. Thus, a tumult might be avoided, and the odium of putting him to death which they expected would fall, not on themselves, but upon Pilate!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 31. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death — They might have judged Jesus according to their law, as Pilate bade them do; but they could only excommunicate or scourge him. They might have voted him worthy of death; but they could not put him to death, if any thing of a secular nature were charged against him. The power of life and death was in all probability taken from the Jews when Archelaus, king of Judea, was banished to Vienna, and Judea was made a Roman province; and this happened more than fifty years before the destruction of Jerusalem. But the Romans suffered Herod, mentioned Acts 12:1, c., to exercise the power of life and death during his reign. See much on this point in Calmet and Pearce. After all, I think it probable that, though the power of life and death was taken away from the Jews, as far as it concerned affairs of state, yet it was continued to them in matters which were wholly of an ecclesiastical nature and that they only applied thus to Pilate to persuade him that they were proceeding against Christ as an enemy of the state, and not as a transgressor of their own peculiar laws and customs. Hence, though they assert that he should die according to their law, because he made himself the Son of God, John 19:7, yet they lay peculiar stress on his being an enemy to the Roman government; and, when they found Pilate disposed to let him go, they asserted that if he did he was not Caesar's friend, John 18:12. It was this that intimidated Pilate, and induced him to give him up, that they might crucify him. How they came to lose this power is accounted for in a different manner by Dr. Lightfoot. His observations are very curious, and are subjoined to the end of this chapter.

John 18:12- :


 
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