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Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!”
Matthew 27:22 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”
  • KJV Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
  • BSB “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
  • NKJV Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
  • NLT Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

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 asks what to do with Jesus, and the crowd cries 'Crucify him!' Their verdict is the cruelest of Roman deaths.

Overview

When Pilate seeks a path forward, the crowd demands crucifixion, the most shameful and agonizing form of execution. Their cry reveals hardened hostility toward the one called Christ. That the sinless Savior should be condemned to a cursed death points ahead to His bearing the curse for sinners as Scripture foretold.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • John 19:14–15Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, at about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!”
  • Isa 53:2–3For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
  • Mark 15:12–14Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
  • Isa 49:7Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, says to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and rise up; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
  • Acts 13:38Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,
  • Luke 23:20–24Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,
  • Ps 22:8–9“He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.”
  • Matt 27:17When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?”
  • Matt 1:16Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
  • Zech 11:8I cut off the three shepherds in one month; for my soul was weary of them, and their soul also loathed me.
  • Mark 14:55Now the chief priests and the whole council sought witnesses against Jesus to put him to death, and found none.
  • Job 31:31if the men of my tent have not said, ‘Who can find one who has not been filled with his meat?’

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 27:22YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 27:22 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.