Mark 15:6

Pilate Releases Barabbas

6 Now at each feast he customarily released for them one prisoner whom they requested.

Mark 15:6 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 15:6

Now at that feast
The feast of the passover, which was at that instant; see ( John 18:39 ) . The Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "at every feast"; as if the following custom was used at every feast in the year, at the feasts of pentecost and tabernacles, as well as at the passover; whereas it was only at the latter:

he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired;
of this custom (See Gill on Matthew 27:15).

Mark 15:6 In-Context

4 So Pilate asked him again, saying, "Do you not answer anything? See how many [charges] they are bringing against you!"

5 But Jesus did not answer anything further, so that Pilate was astonished.

6 Now at each feast he customarily released for them one prisoner whom they requested.

7 And the one named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the rebellion.

8 And the crowd came up [and] began to ask him to do as he customarily did for them.

Footnotes

• [a] The imperfect tense has been translated as customary here ("customarily released")