Matthew 27:23

23 And he said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they began to shout even louder, saying, "Let him be crucified!"

Matthew 27:23 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:23

And the governor said, why, what evil hath he done?
&c.] What reason can be given, why he should be crucified? what sin has he committed, that deserves such a death? From whence it is clear, that of all the things they had accused him, they had not, in Pilate's account, given proof of one single action, that was criminal, nor had he done any: he came into the world without sin, he did none in it; he knew no sin, nor could any be found in him, by Satan, nor his accusers, nor his judge:

but they cried out the more, saying, let him be crucified:
the more they saw Pilate inclined to favour him, and pleaded for him, and attested his innocence; the more clamorous, outrageous, and urgent they were to have him crucified.

Matthew 27:23 In-Context

21 So the governor answered [and] said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas!"

22 Pilate said to them, "What then should I do [with] Jesus, the one who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"

23 And he said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they began to shout even louder, saying, "Let him be crucified!"

24 So Pilate, [when he] saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water [and] washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to [it]!"

25 And all the people answered [and] said, "His blood [be] on us and on our children!"

Footnotes

• [a]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to shout")