Matthew 26:5

26:5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” ¹ 

Mark 15:6

Jesus and Barabbas

15:6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, ²  whomever they requested.

Mark 15:8

15:8 Then the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to release a prisoner for them, as was his custom. ³ 

Luke 23:16-17

23:16 I will therefore have him flogged ⁴  and release him.”

23:17 [[EMPTY]] ⁵ 

John 18:38-39

18:38 Pilate asked, ⁶  “What is truth?” ⁷ 

When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders ⁸  and announced, ⁹  “I find no basis for an accusation ¹⁰  against him. 18:39 But it is your custom that I release one prisoner ¹¹  for you at the Passover. ¹²  So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”

Acts 24:27

24:27 After two years ¹³  had passed, Porcius Festus ¹⁴  succeeded Felix, ¹⁵  and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. ¹⁶ 

Acts 25:9

25:9 But Festus, ¹⁷  wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried ¹⁸  before me there on these charges?” ¹⁹ 

[26:5]  ¹ sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him.

[15:6]  ² tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8]  ³ tn Grk “Coming up the crowd began to ask [him to do] as he was doing for them.”

[23:16]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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.

[18:38]  ⁶ tn Grk “Pilate said.”

[18:38]  ⁷ 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).

[18:38]  ⁸ 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.

[18:38]  ⁹ tn Grk “said to them.”

[18:38]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “find no cause.”

[18:39]  ¹¹ tn The word “prisoner” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[18:39]  ¹² sn Pilate then offered to release Jesus, reminding the Jewish authorities that they had a custom that he release one prisoner for them at the Passover. There is no extra-biblical evidence alluding to the practice. It is, however, mentioned in Matthew and Mark, described either as a practice of Pilate (Mark 15:6) or of the Roman governor (Matt 27:15). These references may explain the lack of extra-biblical attestation: The custom to which Pilate refers here (18:39) is not a permanent one acknowledged by all the Roman governors, but one peculiar to Pilate as a means of appeasement, meant to better relations with his subjects. Such a limited meaning is certainly possible and consistent with the statement here.

[24:27]  ¹³ tn Grk “After a two-year period.”

[24:27]  ¹⁴ sn Porcius Festus was the procurator of Palestine who succeeded Felix; neither the beginning nor the end of his rule (at his death) can be determined with certainty, although he appears to have died in office after about two years. Nero recalled Felix in a.d. 57 or 58, and Festus was appointed to his vacant office in a.d. 57, 58, or 59. According to Josephus (Ant. 20.8.9-10 [20.182-188]; J. W. 2.14.1 [2.271-272]), his administration was better than that of his predecessor Felix or his successor Albinus, but Luke in Acts portrays him in a less favorable light: He was willing to sacrifice Paul to court Jewish favor by taking him to Jerusalem for trial (v. 9), regardless of Paul’s guilt or innocence. The one characteristic for which Festus was noted is that he dealt harshly with those who disturbed the peace.

[24:27]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “Felix received as successor Porcius Festus.”

[24:27]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “left Paul imprisoned.”

[25:9]  ¹⁷ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[25:9]  ¹⁸ tn Or “stand trial.”

[25:9]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “concerning these things.”