Luke 23:20
What does Luke 23:20 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 23:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 23:20 means
Pilate again addresses the crowd, still wishing to release Jesus. He sees no justice in condemning Him and hopes another appeal will calm the frenzy. Yet desire without decision is weak. Pilate’s repeated efforts show that he knows what is right, but he will not risk the cost of doing it. The governor’s hesitation becomes part of the machinery that sends Jesus to the cross. Even so, the repeated offers to release Him serve as public testimony that the One who is about to be crucified is blameless. The world will condemn a man it cannot convict.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And Pilate again said to them that it was his desire to let Jesus go free.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Pilate again then--wishing to release Jesus--called to them,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Pilate therefore, desirous to release Jesus, again addressed [them].
Context
After the shocking preference for Barabbas, Pilate returns to his earlier aim. He tries to reset the process, but momentum is against him. The next verse records the crowd’s sharp, unambiguous demand: “Crucify, crucify him.” At this point, persuasion fails, and the pressure escalates. Pilate will address them a third time, but the clamor only grows. The narrative is moving steadily from attempts at release to the yielding of a sentence dictated by the people’s will.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 15:15
And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, released unto them Barabbas, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
- Matthew 27:19
And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
- Matthew 14:8
And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
- John 19:12
Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Cæsar’s friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Cæsar.
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