Matthew 27:21

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

Matthew 27:21 in Other Translations

21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

21 The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."

21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

21 The governor asked, "Which of the two do you want me to pardon?" They said, "Barabbas!"

21 The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered.

Matthew 27:21 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:21

The governor answered and said unto them
A second time, after some time had been allowed and taken up to consider of the matter, and which the chief priests and elders improved among the people against Jesus.

Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?
for as these two were proposed, one of them must be released; and it lay in the breast of the people to choose which they would:

they said, Barabbas;
so that Christ was not only numbered among, and reckoned with transgressors, but he was accounted worse than the worst of them; a seditious person, a robber, and a murderer was preferred before him: see ( Acts 3:14 ) .

Matthew 27:21 In-Context

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”