Matthew 27:23
New International Version
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

New Living Translation
“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

English Standard Version
And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Berean Standard Bible
“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

Berean Literal Bible
And he said, "For what evil did He commit?" And they kept crying out all the more, saying, "Let Him be crucified."

King James Bible
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

New King James Version
Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

New American Standard Bible
But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”

NASB 1995
And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”

NASB 1977
And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “Why, what evil did He do?” But they were crying out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

Amplified Bible
And he said, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they continued shouting all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!”

Christian Standard Bible
Then he said, “Why? What has he done wrong? ” But they kept shouting all the more, “Crucify him! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong?” But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him!” all the more.

American Standard Version
And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The Governor said to them, “What evil has he done”, but increasingly, they cried out and they said, “Let him be crucified!.”

Contemporary English Version
Pilate answered, "But what crime has he done?" "Nail him to a cross!" they yelled even louder.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.

English Revised Version
And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Pilate asked, "Why? What has he done wrong?" But they began to shout loudly, "He should be crucified!"

Good News Translation
But Pilate asked, "What crime has he committed?" Then they started shouting at the top of their voices: "Crucify him!"

International Standard Version
He asked, "What has he done wrong?" But they kept shouting louder and louder, "Let him be crucified!"

Literal Standard Version
And the governor said, “Why, what evil did He do?” And they were crying out the more, saying, “Let [Him] be crucified!”

Majority Standard Bible
“Why?” asked the governor. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

New American Bible
But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!”

NET Bible
He asked, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they shouted more insistently, "Crucify him!"

New Revised Standard Version
Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

New Heart English Bible
But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they shouted all the louder, saying, "Let him be crucified."

Webster's Bible Translation
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

Weymouth New Testament
"Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they kept on furiously shouting, "Let him be crucified!"

World English Bible
But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

Young's Literal Translation
And the governor said, 'Why, what evil did he?' and they were crying out the more, saying, 'Let be crucified.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
22“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!” 23“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” 24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 20:32
"Why must he be put to death?" Jonathan replied. "What has he done?"

Matthew 27:22
"What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify Him!"

Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "You bear the responsibility."

Luke 23:4
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

Acts 13:28
And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed.


Treasury of Scripture

And the governor said, Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

Why.

Genesis 37:18,19
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him…

1 Samuel 19:3-15
And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee…

1 Samuel 20:31-33
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die…

But.

Matthew 21:38,39
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance…

Acts 7:57
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

Acts 17:5-7
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people…

Jump to Previous
Committed Cried Cries Crime Cross Crucified Crucify Crying Evil Exceedingly Furiously Governor Kept Louder Pilate Shouted Shouting
Jump to Next
Committed Cried Cries Crime Cross Crucified Crucify Crying Evil Exceedingly Furiously Governor Kept Louder Pilate Shouted Shouting
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.














(23) Why, what evil hath he done?--The question attested the judge's conviction of the innocence of the accused, but it attested also the cowardice of the judge. He was startled at the passionate malignity of the cry of the multitude and the priests, but had not the courage to resist it. We find from Luke 23:22. that he had recourse to the desperate expedient of suggesting a milder punishment--"I will chastise," i.e., scourge, "Him, and let Him go;" but the suggestion itself showed his weakness, and therefore did but stimulate the crowd to persist in their demand for death.

Verse 23. - Why, what evil hath he done? Τί γὰρ κακὸν ἐποίησεν; The particle γὰρ implies a certain reasoning in the question, the speaker for the nonce putting himself in the people's position, and demanding the ground of their decision. The authorized translation is adequate. Pilate thus showed his pusillanimity and irresolution, while exercising no control over the feelings of the excited mob. But they cried out the more (περισσῶς ἔκραζον, they kept shouting out exceedingly). The very sight of the governor's predilection, combined with his indecision, excited them to more vehement clamour; they saw that he would end by yielding to their violence. Jerome refers, in illustration, to Isaiah 5:7, "He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Why?”
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

asked [Pilate].
ἔφη (ephē)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.

“What
Τί (Ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

has He done
ἐποίησεν (epoiēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

wrong?”
κακὸν (kakon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2556: Bad, evil, in the widest sense. Apparently a primary word; worthless, i.e. depraved, or injurious.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

they shouted
ἔκραζον (ekrazon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2896: To cry aloud, shriek. A primary verb; properly, to 'croak' or scream, i.e. to call aloud.

all the louder,
περισσῶς (perissōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4057: Greatly, exceedingly, abundantly, vehemently. Adverb from perissos; superabundantly.

“Crucify Him!”
Σταυρωθήτω (Staurōthētō)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4717: From stauros; to impale on the cross; figuratively, to extinguish passion or selfishness.


Links
Matthew 27:23 NIV
Matthew 27:23 NLT
Matthew 27:23 ESV
Matthew 27:23 NASB
Matthew 27:23 KJV

Matthew 27:23 BibleApps.com
Matthew 27:23 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 27:23 Chinese Bible
Matthew 27:23 French Bible
Matthew 27:23 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 27:23 But the governor said Why? What evil (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 27:22
Top of Page
Top of Page