Psalms 69:4

69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head.

Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, ¹  outnumber me. ² 

They make me repay what I did not steal! ³ 

Isaiah 53:3

53:3 He was despised and rejected by people, ⁴ 

one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness;

people hid their faces from him; ⁵ 

he was despised, and we considered him insignificant. ⁶ 

Matthew 27:23-25

27:23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

Jesus is Condemned and Mocked

27:24 When ⁷  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!” ⁸  27:25 In ⁹  reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

Luke 23:23-24

23:23 But they were insistent, ¹⁰  demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. 23:24 So ¹¹  Pilate ¹²  decided ¹³  that their demand should be granted.

John 19:12-15

19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried ¹⁴  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ¹⁵  shouted out, ¹⁶  “If you release this man, ¹⁷  you are no friend of Caesar! ¹⁸  Everyone who claims to be a king ¹⁹  opposes Caesar!” 19:13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat ²⁰  in the place called “The Stone Pavement” ²¹  (Gabbatha in ²²  Aramaic). ²³  19:14 (Now it was the day of preparation ²⁴  for the Passover, about noon. ²⁵ ) ²⁶  Pilate ²⁷  said to the Jewish leaders, ²⁸  “Look, here is your king!”

19:15 Then they ²⁹  shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! ³⁰  Crucify ³¹  him!” Pilate asked, ³²  “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!”

Acts 7:54-57

Stephen is Killed

7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious ³³  and ground their teeth ³⁴  at him. 7:55 But Stephen, ³⁵  full ³⁶  of the Holy Spirit, looked intently ³⁷  toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing ³⁸  at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said. ³⁹  “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears, ⁴⁰  shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent.

Acts 19:34

19:34 But when they recognized ⁴¹  that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, ⁴²  “Great is Artemis ⁴³  of the Ephesians!” for about two hours. ⁴⁴ 

Acts 22:22-23

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22:22 The crowd ⁴⁵  was listening to him until he said this. ⁴⁶  Then ⁴⁷  they raised their voices and shouted, ⁴⁸  “Away with this man ⁴⁹  from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!” ⁵⁰  22:23 While they were screaming ⁵¹  and throwing off their cloaks ⁵²  and tossing dust ⁵³  in the air,

[69:4]  ¹ tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Pss 35:19; 38:19).

[69:4]  ² tn The Hebrew verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority; note the parallel verb רָבַב (ravav, “be many”).

[69:4]  ³ tn Heb “that which I did not steal, then I restore.” Apparently אָז (’az, “then”) is used here to emphasize the verb that follows.

[53:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “lacking of men.” If the genitive is taken as specifying (“lacking with respect to men”), then the idea is that he lacked company because he was rejected by people. Another option is to take the genitive as indicating genus or larger class (i.e., “one lacking among men”). In this case one could translate, “he was a transient” (cf. the use of חָדֵל [khadel] in Ps 39:5 HT [39:4 ET]).

[53:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “like a hiding of the face from him,” i.e., “like one before whom the face is hidden” (see BDB 712 s.v. מַסְתֵּר).

[53:3]  ⁶ sn The servant is likened to a seriously ill person who is shunned by others because of his horrible disease.

[27:24]  ⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[27:24]  ⁸ 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.

[27:25]  ⁹ tn Grk “answering, all the people said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[23:23]  ¹⁰ tn Though a different Greek term is used here (BDAG 373 s.v. ἐπίκειμαι), this remark is like 23:5.

[23:24]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the crowd’s cries prevailing.

[23:24]  ¹² sn Finally Pilate gave in. He decided crucifying one Galilean teacher was better than facing a riot. Justice lost out in the process, because he did not follow his own verdict.

[23:24]  ¹³ tn Although some translations render ἐπέκρινεν (epekrinen) here as “passed sentence” or “gave his verdict,” the point in context is not that Pilate sentenced Jesus to death here, but that finally, although convinced of Jesus’ innocence, he gave in to the crowd’s incessant demand to crucify an innocent man.

[19:12]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “sought.”

[19:12]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.

[19:12]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”

[19:12]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “this one.”

[19:12]  ¹⁸ sn Is the author using the phrase Friend of Caesar in a technical sense, as a title bestowed on people for loyal service to the Emperor, or in a more general sense merely describing a person as loyal to the Emperor? L. Morris (John [NICNT], 798) thinks it is “unlikely” that the title is used in the technical sense, and J. H. Bernard (St. John [ICC], 2:621) argues that the technical sense of the phrase as an official title was not used before the time of Vespasian (a.d. 69-79). But there appears to be significant evidence for much earlier usage. Some of this is given in BDAG 498-99 s.v. Καῖσαρ. E. Bammel (“φίλος τοῦ καίσαρος (John 19:12),” TLZ 77 [1952]: 205-10) listed significant and convincing arguments that the official title was indeed in use at the time. Granting that the title was in use during this period, what is the likelihood that it had been bestowed on Pilate? Pilate was of the equestrian order, that is, of lower nobility as opposed to senatorial rank. As such he would have been eligible to receive such an honor. It also appears that the powerful Sejanus was his patron in Rome, and Sejanus held considerable influence with Tiberius. Tacitus (Annals 6.8) quotes Marcus Terentius in his defense before the Senate as saying that close friendship with Sejanus “was in every case a powerful recommendation to the Emperor’s friendship.” Thus it is possible that Pilate held this honor. Therefore it appears that the Jewish authorities were putting a good deal of psychological pressure on Pilate to convict Jesus. They had, in effect, finally specified the charge against Jesus as treason: “Everyone who makes himself to be king opposes Caesar.” If Pilate now failed to convict Jesus the Jewish authorities could complain to Rome that Pilate had released a traitor. This possibility carried more weight with Pilate than might at first be evident: (1) Pilate’s record as governor was not entirely above reproach; (2) Tiberius, who lived away from Rome as a virtual recluse on the island of Capri, was known for his suspicious nature, especially toward rivals or those who posed a political threat; and (3) worst of all, Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, had recently come under suspicion of plotting to seize the imperial succession for himself. Sejanus was deposed in October of a.d. 31. It may have been to Sejanus that Pilate owed his appointment in Judea. Pilate was now in a very delicate position. The Jewish authorities may have known something of this and deliberately used it as leverage against him. Whether or not they knew just how potent their veiled threat was, it had the desired effect. Pilate went directly to the judgment seat to pronounce his judgment.

[19:12]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”

[19:13]  ²⁰ tn Or “the judge’s seat.”

[19:13]  ²¹ sn The precise location of the place called ‘The Stone Pavement’ is still uncertain, although a paved court on the lower level of the Fortress Antonia has been suggested. It is not certain whether it was laid prior to a.d. 135, however.

[19:13]  ²² tn Grk “in Hebrew.”

[19:13]  ²³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:14]  ²⁴ sn The term day of preparation (παρασκευή, paraskeuh) appears in all the gospels as a description of the day on which Jesus died. It could refer to any Friday as the day of preparation for the Sabbath (Saturday), and this is the way the synoptic gospels use the term (Matt 27:62, Mark 15:42, and Luke 23:54). John, however, specifies in addition that this was not only the day of preparation of the Sabbath, but also the day of preparation of the Passover, so that the Sabbath on the following day was the Passover (cf. 19:31).

[19:14]  ²⁵ tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[19:14]  ²⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[19:14]  ²⁷ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity, and the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[19:14]  ²⁸ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.

[19:15]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Then these.”

[19:15]  ³⁰ tn The words “with him” (twice) are not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[19:15]  ³¹ sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.

[19:15]  ³² tn Grk “Pilate said to them.” The words “to them” are not translated because it is clear in English who Pilate is addressing.

[7:54]  ³³ tn This verb, which also occurs in Acts 5:33, means “cut to the quick” or “deeply infuriated” (BDAG 235 s.v. διαπρίω).

[7:54]  ³⁴ tn Or “they gnashed their teeth.” This idiom is a picture of violent rage (BDAG 184 s.v. βρύχω). See also Ps 35:16.

[7:55]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Stephen) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:55]  ³⁶ tn Grk “being full,” but the participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) has not been translated since it would be redundant in English.

[7:55]  ³⁷ tn Grk “looking intently toward heaven, saw.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[7:55]  ³⁸ sn The picture of Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. By announcing his vision, Stephen thoroughly offended his audience, who believed no one could share God’s place in heaven. The phrase is a variation on Ps 110:1.

[7:56]  ³⁹ tn Grk “And he said, ‘Look!’” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here; a new sentence is begun instead.

[7:57]  ⁴⁰ sn They covered their ears to avoid hearing what they considered to be blasphemy.

[19:34]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “But recognizing.” The participle ἐπιγνόντες (epignonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[19:34]  ⁴² tn Grk “[they shouted] with one voice from all of them” (an idiom).

[19:34]  ⁴³ sn Artemis was a Greek goddess worshiped particularly in Asia Minor, whose temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located just outside the city of Ephesus, 1.25 mi (2 km) northeast of the Grand Theater. Dimensions were 418 ft by 239 ft (125 m by 72 m) for the platform; the temple proper was 377 ft by 180 ft (113 m by 54 m). The roof was supported by 117 columns, each 60 ft (18 m) high by 6 ft (1.8 m) in diameter. The Emperor Justinian of Byzantium later took these columns for use in construction of the Hagia Sophia, where they still exist (in modern day Istanbul).

[19:34]  ⁴⁴ sn They all shouted…for about two hours. The extent of the tumult shows the racial and social tensions of a cosmopolitan city like Ephesus, indicating what the Christians in such locations had to face.

[22:22]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “They were listening”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:22]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “until this word.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “And.” To indicate the logical sequence, καί (kai) has been translated as “then” here.

[22:22]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “and said.”

[22:22]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “this one.”

[22:22]  ⁵⁰ 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.”

[22:23]  ⁵¹ tn The participle κραυγαζόντων (kraugazontwn) has been translated temporally.

[22:23]  ⁵² tn Or “outer garments.”

[22:23]  ⁵³ sn The crowd’s act of tossing dust in the air indicated they had heard something disturbing and offensive. This may have been a symbolic gesture, indicating Paul’s words deserved to be thrown to the wind, or it may have simply resulted from the fact they had nothing else to throw at him at the moment.