Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whom they asked of him.
- KJV Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
- NKJV Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested.
- NASB Now at the Passover Feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested.
- NLT Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Pilate had a custom of releasing one prisoner at the feast. This sets up the fateful choice between Jesus and Barabbas.
Overview
The Passover amnesty provided a possible way to free Jesus. Pilate, recognizing Jesus' innocence, hopes to use the custom to release him. Instead it becomes the occasion of a tragic choice that exchanges a guilty man for the innocent one.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 18:39–40But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
- Acts 25:9But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
- Acts 24:27After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.
- Matt 26:2“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
- Matt 26:5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- Luke 23:16–25Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
- Matt 27:15–26Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.
- John 19:16Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 15:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.