Mark 15:6

Jesus and Barabbas

15:6 During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, ¹  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. ² 

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¹ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

sn The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner to them is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39); see W. W. Wessel, “Mark,” EBC 8:773-74.

² tn Grk “Coming up the crowd began to ask [him to do] as he was doing for them.”