Luke 23:20-22

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Luke 23:20 sn The account pictures a battle of wills—the people versus Pilate. Pilate is consistently portrayed in Luke’s account as wanting to release Jesus because he believed him to be innocent.
2. Luke 23:21 tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated here.
3. Luke 23:21 tn This double present imperative is emphatic.sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
4. Luke 23:22 tn Grk “no cause of death I found in him.”
5. Luke 23:22 sn The refrain of innocence comes once again. Pilate tried to bring some sense of justice, believing Jesus had committed no crime deserving death.
6. Luke 23:22 tn Or “scourge” (BDAG 749 s.v. παιδεύω 2.b.γ). See the note on “flogged” in v. 16.