27:24 When 12 Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” 13
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders 16 and announced, 17 “I find no basis for an accusation 18 against him.
19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, 19 “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation 20 against him.” 19:5 So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. 21 Pilate 22 said to them, “Look, here is the man!” 23 19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify 24 him! Crucify him!” 25 Pilate said, 26 “You take him and crucify him! 27 Certainly 28 I find no reason for an accusation 29 against him!”
7:1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. 30
1:1 After God spoke long ago 31 in various portions 32 and in various ways 33 to our ancestors 34 through the prophets,
1:1 After God spoke long ago 35 in various portions 36 and in various ways 37 to our ancestors 38 through the prophets,
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
1 tn This term also appears in v. 2.
2 tn Grk “behold, I” A transitional use of ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
3 tn Grk “nothing did I find in this man by way of cause.” The reference to “nothing” is emphatic.
4 sn With the statement “he has done nothing,” Pilate makes another claim that Jesus is innocent of any crime worthy of death.
5 tn Grk “nothing deserving death has been done by him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style.
6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7 tn Or “the judge’s seat.”
8 tn The word “message” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
9 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
10 tn The Greek particle γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated here.
11 tn Or “suffered greatly in a dream.” See the discussion on the construction κατ᾿ ὄναρ (kat’ onar) in BDAG 710 s.v. ὄναρ.
12 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
13 sn You take care of it yourselves! Compare the response of the chief priests and elders to Judas in 27:4. The expression is identical except that in 27:4 it is singular and here it is plural.
14 tn Grk “Pilate said.”
15 sn With his reply “What is truth?” Pilate dismissed the matter. It is not clear what Pilate’s attitude was at this point, as in 18:33. He may have been sarcastic, or perhaps somewhat reflective. The author has not given enough information in the narrative to be sure. Within the narrative, Pilate’s question serves to make the reader reflect on what truth is, and that answer (in the narrative) has already been given (14:6).
16 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin. See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 12. The term also occurs in v. 31, where it is clear the Jewish leaders are in view, because they state that they cannot legally carry out an execution. Although it is likely (in view of the synoptic parallels) that the crowd here in 18:38 was made up not just of the Jewish leaders, but of ordinary residents of Jerusalem and pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, nevertheless in John’s Gospel Pilate is primarily in dialogue with the leadership of the nation, who are expressly mentioned in 18:35 and 19:6.
17 tn Grk “said to them.”
18 tn Grk “find no cause.”
19 tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.
20 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
21 sn See the note on the purple robe in 19:2.
22 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 sn Look, here is the man! Pilate may have meant no more than something like “Here is the accused!” or in a contemptuous way, “Here is your king!” Others have taken Pilate’s statement as intended to evoke pity from Jesus’ accusers: “Look at this poor fellow!” (Jesus would certainly not have looked very impressive after the scourging). For the author, however, Pilate’s words constituted an unconscious allusion to Zech 6:12, “Look, here is the man whose name is the Branch.” In this case Pilate (unknowingly and ironically) presented Jesus to the nation under a messianic title.
24 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman statesman and orator Cicero (106-43
25 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.
26 tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.
27 sn How are Pilate’s words “You take him and crucify him” to be understood? Was he offering a serious alternative to the priests who wanted Jesus crucified? Was he offering them an exception to the statement in 18:31 that the Jewish authorities did not have the power to carry out a death penalty? Although a few scholars have suggested that the situation was at this point so far out of Pilate’s control that he really was telling the high priests they could go ahead and crucify a man he had found to be innocent, this seems unlikely. It is far more likely that Pilate’s statement should be understood as one of frustration and perhaps sarcasm. This seems to be supported by the context, for the Jewish authorities make no attempt at this point to seize Jesus and crucify him. Rather they continue to pester Pilate to order the crucifixion.
28 tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.
29 tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”
30 sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.
31 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
32 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
33 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
34 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
35 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
36 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
37 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
38 tn Grk “to the fathers.”