15:6–7

Verses 15:6 and 15:7 provide background information that is important for the next part of the story. Verse 15:6 indicates that it was Pilate’s custom to release a prisoner from prison each year during Passover. Verse 15:7 talks about a particular prisoner who was being held by the Romans. Translate this background information in a way that is natural in your language.

15:6a–b

Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing: Each year during the time of the Passover festival, Pilate released one prisoner. The people told Pilate which prisoner they wanted to be released. After he was released, the prisoner did not receive any more punishment.

Now: Verse 15:6 is background information. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this by translating the Greek conjunction here as Now. If your language has a special word to introduce background information, you could use that word here. The Good News Bible and other English versions do not translate this conjunction.

it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release is literally “at every festival he was releasing.” This means that each year during the Passover festival, Pilate released a prisoner. This had become a custom.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

At every Passover Festival Pilate was in the habit of setting free (Good News Bible)
-or-
…it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release (New Living Translation)
-or-
During Passover, Pilate always freed (Contemporary English Version)

at the feast: The phrase at the feast here refers to the time during the Passover festival or celebration that was held each year. For example, the God’s Word says:

At every Passover festival

The word at does not indicate that Pilate released the prisoner at the place where the people were feasting. Instead, it refers to the period of time during which the feast took place. As such it an be translate as “during.”

Some languages may not have a general word meaning “feast” or “celebration” that can refer to the Passover. If that is true in your language, then use the full expression for Passover that you used in 14:1a.

to release: The word release means “free” or “liberate.” In this context it refers to freeing a prisoner.

a prisoner of their choosing: The words a prisoner of their choosing indicates that the people could ask Pilate to free any one prisoner whom they wanted.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

one prisoner whom the people asked for (God’s Word)
-or-
one prisoner whom the people chose (New Century Version)

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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