John 19:6

19:6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify ¹  him! Crucify him!” ²  Pilate said, ³  “You take him and crucify him! ⁴  Certainly ⁵  I find no reason for an accusation ⁶  against him!”

Luke 23:18

23:18 But they all shouted out together, ⁷  “Take this man ⁸  away! Release Barabbas for us!”

Acts 21:36

21:36 for a crowd of people ⁹  followed them, ¹⁰  screaming, “Away with him!”

Acts 22:22

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ¹¹  was listening to him until he said this. ¹²  Then ¹³  they raised their voices and shouted, ¹⁴  “Away with this man ¹⁵  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ¹⁶ 

[19:6]  ¹ 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 b.c.) called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.

[19:6]  ² tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from context.

[19:6]  ³ tn Grk “said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.

[19:6]  ⁴ 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.

[19:6]  ⁵ tn On this use of γάρ (gar) used in exclamations and strong affirmations, see BDAG 190 s.v. γάρ 3.

[19:6]  ⁶ tn Or “find no basis for an accusation”; Grk “find no cause.”

[23:18]  ⁷ tn Grk “together, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.

[23:18]  ⁸ tn Grk “this one.” The reference to Jesus as “this man” is pejorative in this context.

[21:36]  ⁹ tn Grk “the multitude of people.” While πλῆθος (plhqo") is articular, it has been translated “a crowd” since it was probably a subset of the larger mob that gathered in v. 30.

[21:36]  ¹⁰ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[22:22]  ¹¹ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ¹² tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ¹³ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ¹⁶ tn BDAG 491 s.v. καθήκω has “to be appropriate, come/reach to, be proper/fitting…Usu. impers. καθήκει it comes (to someone)…foll. by acc. and inf….οὐ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν he should not be allowed to live Ac 22:22.”