Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Parallel translations
- KJV But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
- BSB But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
- NKJV But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
- NASB But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death.
- NLT Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
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
The chief priests persuade the crowd to demand Barabbas and call for Jesus' death. The leaders manipulate the people against Jesus.
Overview
The religious authorities work the crowd, urging them to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus. Their influence turns popular sentiment, recently favorable to Jesus, into a deadly demand. The verse shows how leadership can corrupt the multitude and how human responsibility for Jesus' death spreads from the rulers to the people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- John 19:15–16They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
- Acts 3:14–15But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
- Mark 15:11But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead.
- John 18:40Then they all shouted again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
- Luke 23:18–20But they all cried out together, saying, “Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!” —
- Acts 19:23–29About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.
- Acts 14:18–19Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 27:20 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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