Luke 23:20

20 And Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed [them] again,

Luke 23:20 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:20

Pilate therefore willing to release Jesus
Being more and more convinced of his innocence; and still seeing more clearly into the wickedness, malice, and envy of his accusers; and having received a message from his wife:

spake again to them;
putting it again to them, which he should release; asking them what he should do with Jesus; plainly signifying his mind, that he thought him innocent, and that it would be right to let him go. The Ethiopic version represents him, saying, "will ye that I save for you, or release to you the Lord Jesus?"

Luke 23:20 In-Context

18 But they all cried out in unison, saying, "Take this man away, and release for us Barabbas!"

19 (who had been thrown in prison because of a certain insurrection that had taken place in the city, and [for] murder)

20 And Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed [them] again,

21 but they kept crying out, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him!

22 So he said to them a third [time], "Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation {deserving death} in him. Therefore I will punish him [and] release [him]."

Footnotes

• [a] *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [b] Some manuscripts explicitly state "them"