Paragraph 23:17–25

23:17

There is a textual issue concerning 23:17. The majority of Bible scholars think that 23:17 was probably not present in the original manuscript written by Luke. It was probably added later as background information. It explains what the people said in 23:18. They shouted that Barabbas should be set free. This information is in Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6.

There are two main options for translating this verse:

• Put a translation of the verse in a footnote. For example, the God’s Word has this footnote:

Some manuscripts and translations add verse 17: “At every Passover festival the governor had to set someone free for them.” (God’s Word)

If you use this option, as most English versions do, you may want to include the verse number for 17 with the number at the beginning of 23:18. For example:

17–18With one voice…

• Put the verse in brackets in the text. Here is one way to translate this:

17[Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.] (New American Standard Bible)

If the national language version includes 23:17 without brackets in the text, you may decide to follow it. If you do this, it is good to include a footnote to explain that this verse is not present in some of the oldest Greek manuscripts of Luke.

The words in the Display and in the following notes come from the Berean Standard Bible footnote.

Now Pilate was obligated to release to the people one prisoner at the feast: This statement is background information. The Berean Standard Bible indicates that with the word Now. The word Now is not a time word in this context. Introduce the background information in a natural way in your language.

This statement contains implied information. Pilate was holding some Jews as prisoners. There was a custom that Pilate had to set one of those prisoners free on the Feast of Passover. Some other ways to translate this verse are:

Now it was necessary for him to release one prisoner to them during the Passover celebration.
-or-

⌊Pilate said this because⌋ it was a custom that he must release one ⌊Jewish⌋ prisoner for them during the time that ⌊the Jews celebrated⌋ their Passover festival.

the feast: The term the feast refers here to the Passover feast. See the notes at 22:1a–b for translation suggestions.

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