Luke 23:14-21

23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading ¹  the people. When I examined him before you, I ²  did not find this man guilty ³  of anything you accused him of doing. 23:15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing ⁴  deserving death. ⁵  23:16 I will therefore have him flogged ⁶  and release him.”

23:17 [[EMPTY]] ⁷ 

23:18 But they all shouted out together, ⁸  “Take this man ⁹  away! Release Barabbas for us!” 23:19 (This ¹⁰  was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection ¹¹  started in the city, and for murder.) ¹²  23:20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted ¹³  to release Jesus. 23:21 But they kept on shouting, ¹⁴  “Crucify, crucify ¹⁵  him!”

[23:14]  ¹ tn This term also appears in v. 2.

[23:14]  ² tn Grk “behold, I” A transitional use of ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.

[23:14]  ³ tn Grk “nothing did I find in this man by way of cause.” The reference to “nothing” is emphatic.

[23:15]  ⁴ sn With the statement “he has done nothing,” Pilate makes another claim that Jesus is innocent of any crime worthy of death.

[23:15]  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.

[23:16]  ⁷ tn Or “scourged” (BDAG 749 s.v. παιδεύω 2.b.γ). This refers to a whipping Pilate ordered in an attempt to convince Jesus not to disturb the peace. It has been translated “flogged” to distinguish it from the more severe verberatio.

[23:17]  ¹⁰ tc Many of the best mss, as well as some others (Ì⁷⁵ A B K L T 070 1241 pc sa), lack 23:17 “(Now he was obligated to release one individual for them at the feast.)” This verse appears to be a parenthetical note explaining the custom of releasing someone on amnesty at the feast. It appears in two different locations with variations in wording, which makes it look like a scribal addition. It is included in א (D following v. 19) W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat. The verse appears to be an explanatory gloss based on Matt 27:15 and Mark 15:6, not original in Luke. The present translation follows NA²⁷ in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

[23:18]  ¹³ tn Grk “together, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.

[23:18]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “this one.” The reference to Jesus as “this man” is pejorative in this context.

[23:19]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).

[23:19]  ¹⁷ sn Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.

[23:19]  ¹⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[23:20]  ¹⁹ sn The account pictures a battle of wills – the people versus Pilate. Pilate is consistently portrayed in Luke’s account as wanting to release Jesus because he believed him to be innocent.

[23:21]  ²² tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.

[23:21]  ²³ tn This double present imperative is emphatic.