Luke 23:17

17 Some manuscripts have verse 17: For he was required to release one man to them at the festival.

Luke 23:17 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:17

For of necessity he must release one
And therefore proposed to release Jesus

unto them at the feast;
of passover, which now was; not that there was any law that obliged to it, but it having been customary with the Roman governor to do so, the people expected it; custom had made it necessary: and so the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it, "it was a custom to release" not at each feast, or every feast, as the last of these versions read, only at the passover, as is expressed, ( John 18:39 ) .

Luke 23:17 In-Context

15 And neither did Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has not done anything that merits the death penalty.

16 Therefore, what I will do is have him flogged and release him."

17 Some manuscripts have verse 17: For he was required to release one man to them at the festival.

18 But with one voice they shouted, "Away with this man! Give us Bar-Abba!"

19 (He was a man who had been thrown in prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilat