Matthew 27:16
New International Version
At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas.

New Living Translation
This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.

English Standard Version
And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

Berean Standard Bible
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

Berean Literal Bible
And at that time they were holding a notable prisoner called Barabbas.

King James Bible
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

New King James Version
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

New American Standard Bible
And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

NASB 1995
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

NASB 1977
And they were holding at that time a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

Legacy Standard Bible
And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

Amplified Bible
And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner [guilty of insurrection and murder], called Barabbas.

Christian Standard Bible
At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

American Standard Version
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Contemporary English Version
At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas was in jail.

English Revised Version
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At that time there was a well-known prisoner by the name of Barabbas.

Good News Translation
At that time there was a well-known prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.

International Standard Version
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

Majority Standard Bible
At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

NET Bible
At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.

New Heart English Bible
They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Weymouth New Testament
and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

World English Bible
They had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they had a noted prisoner then, called Barabbas,

Berean Literal Bible
And at that time they were holding a notable prisoner called Barabbas.

Young's Literal Translation
and they had then a noted prisoner, called Barabbas,

Smith's Literal Translation
And they had then an imprisoned distinguished, called Barabbas.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he had then a notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And at that time, he had a notorious prisoner, who was called Barabbas.

New American Bible
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called [Jesus] Barabbas.

New Revised Standard Version
At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They had a well-known prisoner, called Bar-Abbas, who was bound.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But one of their prisoners was a notable prisoner called Barabba.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
They then had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

Godbey New Testament
But they had at that time a noted prisoner called Barabbas.

Haweis New Testament
And they had at that time a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

Mace New Testament
there happen'd to be then in custody a notorious criminal, nam'd Barabbas.

Weymouth New Testament
and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

Worrell New Testament
and they then had a noted prisoner called Barabbas.

Worsley New Testament
and they had then a notorious malefactor named Barabbas.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. 16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”…

Cross References
Mark 15:7
And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.

Luke 23:18-19
But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” / (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

John 18:40
“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)

Acts 3:14
You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

John 19:1-3
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. / The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. / And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

John 18:39
But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

Acts 3:13-15
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him. / You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. / You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.

John 19:4-6
Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.” / When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” / As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”

Luke 23:25
As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

John 19:12-16
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.” / When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha. / It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” ...

Acts 4:27
In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.

Psalm 69:4
Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me—my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.


Treasury of Scripture

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

a.

Mark 15:7
And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.

Luke 23:18,19,25
And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: …

John 18:40
Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

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Barabbas Barab'bas Holding Important Notable Noted Notorious Prisoner Time
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Barabbas Barab'bas Holding Important Notable Noted Notorious Prisoner Time
Matthew 27
1. Jesus is delivered bound to Pilate.
3. Judas hangs himself.
19. Pilate, admonished of his wife,
20. and being urged by the multitude, washes his hands, and releases Barabbas.
27. Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns;
33. crucified;
39. reviled;
50. dies, and is buried;
62. his tomb is sealed and watched.














At that time
This phrase situates the events within a specific historical context, during the Roman governance of Judea. The timing is crucial as it coincides with the Passover festival, a period of heightened Jewish nationalistic fervor and Roman political sensitivity. The phrase underscores the tension and urgency of the moment, as decisions made during this time would have significant religious and political implications.

they were holding
The Greek word used here is "eichon," which implies possession or control. This indicates that Barabbas was under Roman custody, highlighting the authority and power of the Roman government over the Jewish people. The act of holding a prisoner also suggests a legal process, albeit one that was often arbitrary and brutal under Roman rule.

a notorious prisoner
The term "notorious" translates from the Greek "episēmos," meaning marked or distinguished, often with a negative connotation. Barabbas was well-known, not for virtuous deeds, but for his criminal activities, which likely included insurrection and murder (as suggested in other Gospel accounts). This notoriety made him a figure of both fear and fascination, embodying the lawlessness and rebellion against Roman authority.

named Barabbas
The name "Barabbas" is Aramaic, meaning "son of the father" or "son of a teacher." This is deeply ironic, as Jesus, the true Son of the Father, stands in contrast to Barabbas. The choice between Jesus and Barabbas presented to the crowd symbolizes the choice between the way of peace and the way of violence, between the true Messiah and a false hope of political rebellion. Historically, Barabbas represents the zealot movement, which sought to overthrow Roman rule through force, contrasting sharply with Jesus' message of love and forgiveness.

(16) A notable prisoner, called Barabbas.--There is considerable, though not quite decisive, evidence in favour of the reading which gives "Jesus Barabbas" as the name of the prisoner. The name Bar-abbas (=son of Abbas, or of "a father"), like Bar-timseus and Bartholomew, was a patronymic, and it would be natural enough that the man who bore it should have another more personal name. We can easily understand (1) that the commonness of the name Jesus might lead to his being known to his comrades and to the multitude only or chiefly as Barabbas; and (2) that the reverence which men felt in after years for the Name which is above every name, would lead them to blot out, if it were possible, the traces that it had once been borne by the robber-chief. Of Barabbas St. John (John 18:40) tells us that he was a robber; St. Luke (Luke 23:19) and St. Mark (Mark 15:7) that he had taken a prominent part with some insurgents in the city, and that he, with them, had committed murder in the insurrection. The last recorded tumult of this kind was that mentioned above (Note on Matthew 27:2), as connected with Pilate's appropriation of the Corban. It is so far probable that this was the tumult in which Barabbas had taken part; and the supposition that he did so has at least the merit of explaining how it was that he came to be the favourite hero both of the priests and people. As the term Abba (=father) was a customary term of honour, as applied to a Rabbi (Matthew 23:9), it is possible that the sobriquet by which he was popularly known commemorated a fact in his family history of which he might naturally be proud. "Jesus, the Rabbi's son "was a cry that found more favour than "Jesus the Nazarene."

Verse 16. - They had then a notable prisoner. The plural verb must refer to the multitude, to whose class the man belonged. The Vulgate, with Origen, reads, "he had," habebat, referring to Pilate, whose prisoner he was. The man was notorious; as St. Mark tells us, "He lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, men who had committed murder in the insurrection." We have no account elsewhere of this particular rising, nor of its leader, but such commotions were very common, and under the guise of political aims were utilized for purposes of robbery and assassination. Called Barabbas. The word means "Son of the father," which some explain "Son of a rabbi," which is improbable; and it is a question whether this was his real name, or one applied to him with reference to his pretensions to being "a political anti-Christ" - "a hideous caricature of the true Jesus, the Son of the eternal Father." It is a strange fact that in some (not very trustworthy) manuscripts the name is given as Jesus Barabbas, which affords a remarkable antithesis in Pilate's question in the following verse, "Wilt ye that I release Jesus Barabbas or Jesus called Christ?" There can be no reasonable doubt that the prefix is not genuine, but has crept into some texts inadvertently.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
At that time
τότε (tote)
Adverb
Strong's 5119: Then, at that time. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. At the time that.

they were holding
εἶχον (eichon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

a notorious
ἐπίσημον (episēmon)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1978: Notable, conspicuous. From epi and some form of the base of semaino; remarkable, i.e. eminent.

prisoner
δέσμιον (desmion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1198: One bound, a prisoner. From desmon; a captive.

named
λεγόμενον (legomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

Barabbas.
Βαραββᾶν (Barabban)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 912: Barabbas. Of Chaldee origin; son of Abba; Bar-abbas, an Israelite.


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