But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Parallel translations
- WEB Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
- BSB “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
- NKJV But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
- NASB Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”
- NLT “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked.
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 offers to release the King of the Jews. He attempts to free Jesus by appealing to the crowd.
Overview
Recognizing Jesus' innocence, Pilate seeks a way out by proposing his release. His use of the title 'King of the Jews' both probes the charge and subtly mocks the leaders. His maneuver fails because, as the next verses show, the crowd has been turned against Jesus.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- John 19:4–5Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
- Acts 3:13–15The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
- John 19:14–16And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
- John 18:39But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
- Matt 27:17–21Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
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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 15:9 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.