Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested.
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.
- BSB Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
- 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.
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 you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
- Acts 25:9But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”
- Acts 24:27But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.
- Matt 26:2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
- Matt 26:5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”
- Luke 23:16–25I will therefore chastise him and release him.”
- Matt 27:15–26Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired.
- John 19:16So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led 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
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