Matthew 27:22-23

27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” ¹  They all said, “Crucify him!” ²  27:23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

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¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.

² tn Grk “Him – be crucified!” The third person imperative is difficult to translate because English has no corresponding third person form for the imperative. The traditional translation “Let him be crucified” sounds as if the crowd is giving consent or permission. “He must be crucified” is closer, but it is more natural in English to convert the passive to active and simply say “Crucify him.”

sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.