Matthew 27:21-23

27:21 The ¹  governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” ²  They all said, “Crucify him!” ³  27:23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

Mark 15:14

15:14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What has he done wrong?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

John 18:38

18:38 Pilate asked, ⁴  “What is truth?” ⁵ 

When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders ⁶  and announced, ⁷  “I find no basis for an accusation ⁸  against him.

John 19:4

19:4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, ⁹  “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation ¹⁰  against him.”

¹ tn Grk “answering, the governor said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

³ tn Grk “Him – be crucified!” The third person imperative is difficult to translate because English has no corresponding third person form for the imperative. The traditional translation “Let him be crucified” sounds as if the crowd is giving consent or permission. “He must be crucified” is closer, but it is more natural in English to convert the passive to active and simply say “Crucify him.”

⁴ tn Grk “Pilate said.”

⁵ 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).

⁶ 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.

⁷ tn Grk “said to them.”

⁸ tn Grk “find no cause.”

⁹ tn Grk “to them.” The words “the Jewish leaders” are supplied from John 18:38 for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”