Discovery BoxLuke 23:13-21 
Context23:13 Then 1 Pilate called together the chief priests, the 2 rulers, and the people, 23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading 3 the people. When I examined him before you, I 4 did not find this man guilty 5 of anything you accused him of doing. 23:15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing 6 deserving death. 7 23:16 I will therefore have him flogged 8 and release him.”
23:17 [[EMPTY]] 923:18 But they all shouted out together, 10 “Take this man 11 away! Release Barabbas for us!” 23:19 (This 12 was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection 13 started in the city, and for murder.) 14 23:20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted 15 to release Jesus. 23:21 But they kept on shouting, 16 “Crucify, crucify 17 him!”
1 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
3 tn This term also appears in v. 2.
4 tn Grk “behold, I” A transitional use of ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
5 tn Grk “nothing did I find in this man by way of cause.” The reference to “nothing” is emphatic.
6 sn With the statement “he has done nothing,” Pilate makes another claim that Jesus is innocent of any crime worthy of death.
7 tn Grk “nothing deserving death has been done by him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style.
8 tn Or “scourged” (BDAG 749 s.v. παιδεύω 2.b.γ). This refers to a whipping Pilate ordered in an attempt to convince Jesus not to disturb the peace. It has been translated “flogged” to distinguish it from the more severe verberatio.
9 tc Many of the best
10 tn Grk “together, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
11 tn Grk “this one.” The reference to Jesus as “this man” is pejorative in this context.
12 tn Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).
13 sn Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.
14 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
15 sn The account pictures a battle of wills – the people versus Pilate. Pilate is consistently portrayed in Luke’s account as wanting to release Jesus because he believed him to be innocent.
16 tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
17 tn This double present imperative is emphatic.
sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
