Luke 23:17

17

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 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death.

16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him."

17

18 Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!"

19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.

Footnotes

• [a] Here or after Luke 23:19, other ancient authorities add [Now he was obliged to release someone for them at the festival]