Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. New Living Translation So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!” English Standard Version The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Berean Standard Bible “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied. Berean Literal Bible And the governor answering said to them, "Which of the two do you desire that I release to you?" And they said, "Barabbas." King James Bible The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. New King James Version The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” New American Standard Bible And the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” NASB 1995 But the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” NASB 1977 But the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Legacy Standard Bible But the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Amplified Bible The governor said to them, “Which of the two do you wish me to set free for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Christian Standard Bible The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you? ” “Barabbas! ” they answered. Holman Christian Standard Bible The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?"” Barabbas!” they answered. American Standard Version But the governor answered and said unto them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. Contemporary English Version Pilate asked the crowd again, "Which of these two men do you want me to set free?" "Barabbas!" they shouted. English Revised Version But the governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas. GOD'S WORD® Translation The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to free for you?" They said, "Barabbas." Good News Translation But Pilate asked the crowd, "Which one of these two do you want me to set free for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. International Standard Version So the governor asked them, "Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they replied. Majority Standard Bible ?Which of the two do you want me to release to you?? asked the governor. ?Barabbas,? they replied. NET Bible The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas!" New Heart English Bible But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said, "Barabbas." Webster's Bible Translation The governor answered and said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release to you? They said, Barabbas. Weymouth New Testament So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!" World English Bible But the governor answered them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand the governor answering said to them, “Which of the two will you [that] I may release to you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Berean Literal Bible And the governor answering said to them, "Which of the two do you desire that I release to you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Young's Literal Translation and the governor answering said to them, 'Which of the two will ye that I shall release to you?' And they said, 'Barabbas.' Smith's Literal Translation And the leader having answered, said to them, Which of the two will ye I shall loose to you? And they said, Barabbas. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the governor answering, said to them: Whether will you of the two to be released unto you? But they said, Barabbas. Catholic Public Domain Version Then, in response, the procurator said to them, “Which of the two do you want to be released to you?” But they said to him, “Barabbas.” New American Bible The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!” New Revised Standard Version The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the governor answered and said to them, Which of these two do you want me to release to you? They said, Bar-Abbas. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And the Governor answered and said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you of the two?” But they said, “Barabba.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentThe governor answered and said to them: Which of the two do you wish me to release to you? They replied: Barabbas. Godbey New Testament And the governor responding said to them, Which of the two do you wish that I shall release unto you? And they said Barabbas. Haweis New Testament The governor repeating the question, said to them, Which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas. Mace New Testament the governor therefore having asked, which of the two would you have me release? they said, Barabbas. Weymouth New Testament So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!" Worrell New Testament And the governor, answering, said to them, "Which of the two do ye desire that I should release to you?" And they said, Barabbas." Worsley New Testament And the governor said to them, Which of the two would you have me release to you? and they said, Barabbas. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Crowd Chooses Barabbas…20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. 21“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “ Barabbas,” they replied. 22“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”… Cross References Mark 15:9-11 “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. / For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. / But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead. Luke 23:18-20 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.) / Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, John 18:39-40 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?” / “Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.) Acts 3:13-14 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. 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. Matthew 20:18-19 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death / and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.” 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. Zechariah 11:12-13 Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. / And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. Psalm 22:6-8 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. / All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: / “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.” John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Acts 13:28 And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Psalm 118:22-23 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. / This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 1 Peter 2:4 As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, Matthew 26:66 What do you think?” “He deserves to die,” they answered. Treasury of Scripture The governor answered and said to them, Whether of the two will you that I release to you? They said, Barabbas. Jump to Previous Barabbas Barab'bas Cried Free Governor Pleasure Release Ruler Second Time Twain Want WhetherJump to Next Barabbas Barab'bas Cried Free Governor Pleasure Release Ruler Second Time Twain Want WhetherMatthew 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. Which of the two do you want me to release to you? This question is posed by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, during the trial of Jesus. Pilate's role as governor included maintaining order and administering justice, often involving difficult decisions to appease both Roman authorities and local populations. The choice presented to the crowd reflects a custom during the Passover festival where a prisoner could be released, symbolizing mercy and freedom. This practice is not detailed in Jewish law but is understood as a Roman concession to the Jewish people. The choice between Jesus and Barabbas is significant, as it highlights the stark contrast between the two figures: Jesus, the innocent and righteous one, and Barabbas, a known criminal. This moment underscores the theme of substitutionary atonement, where the innocent suffers in place of the guilty. asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied. Persons / Places / Events 1. Pontius PilateThe Roman governor of Judea who presided over the trial of Jesus. He is depicted as a conflicted leader, trying to appease the crowd while recognizing Jesus' innocence. 2. Barabbas A notorious prisoner chosen by the crowd to be released instead of Jesus. His name means "son of the father," which is ironic given the choice between him and Jesus, the true Son of the Father. 3. The Crowd The assembly of people in Jerusalem who were influenced by the chief priests and elders to demand the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. 4. Jesus Christ The central figure of the Christian faith, who is unjustly condemned to crucifixion despite His innocence. 5. Jerusalem The city where these events took place, significant in Jewish history and prophecy, and the location of Jesus' crucifixion. Teaching Points The Nature of Human ChoiceThe crowd's choice of Barabbas over Jesus reflects the human tendency to choose sin and rebellion over righteousness. This calls us to examine our own choices and align them with God's will. The Irony of Substitution Barabbas, a guilty man, is set free while Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, is condemned. This illustrates the substitutionary atonement of Christ, who took our place on the cross. Influence and Responsibility The crowd was swayed by the religious leaders, reminding us of the importance of discernment and personal responsibility in our decisions. God's Sovereignty in Redemption Despite the apparent injustice, God's redemptive plan was fulfilled through Jesus' crucifixion. This reassures us of God's control and purpose in our lives, even in difficult circumstances.Verse 21. - Answered, to the various cries which reached him. Whether of the twain? Which of the two? He repeats the question before asked (ver. 17), having given the multitude time for deliberation, and offering them no alternative but to choose one of these two prisoners. Barabbas. They prefer a murderer to the Prince of life - a selection on their part guilty and malevolent, but on the part of God necessary for our salvation (Quesnel). Truly, Jesus "was despised and rejected of men." If he had been released now, his liberation would not have been, as it ought to have been, an act of simple justice, but an imperial concession, an act of grace, in which the character of the prisoner was not regarded. Parallel Commentaries ... Greek “WhichΤίνα (Tina) Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what. of ἀπὸ (apo) Preposition Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses. the τῶν (tōn) Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. two δύο (dyo) Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 1417: Two. A primary numeral; 'two'. do you want θέλετε (thelete) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design. me to release ἀπολύσω (apolysō) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular Strong's 630: From apo and luo; to free fully, i.e. relieve, release, dismiss, or let die, pardon or divorce. to you?” ὑμῖν (hymin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. asked Ἀποκριθεὶς (Apokritheis) Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak. the ὁ (ho) Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. governor. ἡγεμὼν (hēgemōn) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2232: From hegeomai; a leader, i.e. Chief person of a province. “Barabbas,” Βαραββᾶν (Barabban) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 912: Barabbas. Of Chaldee origin; son of Abba; Bar-abbas, an Israelite. they replied. εἶπαν (eipan) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. Links Matthew 27:21 NIVMatthew 27:21 NLT Matthew 27:21 ESV Matthew 27:21 NASB Matthew 27:21 KJV Matthew 27:21 BibleApps.com Matthew 27:21 Biblia Paralela Matthew 27:21 Chinese Bible Matthew 27:21 French Bible Matthew 27:21 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: Matthew 27:21 But the governor answered them Which (Matt. Mat Mt) |
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