John 18:39 kjv
But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
John 18:39 nkjv
"But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
John 18:39 niv
But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?"
John 18:39 esv
But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
John 18:39 nlt
But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?"
John 18 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 27:15-26 | Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted... But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus... | Parallel account, choice of Barabbas. |
| Mark 15:6-15 | Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner whom they requested. And among them was one named Barabbas... So Pilate asked them, “What shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him!” | Parallel account, crowd's demand. |
| Luke 23:18-25 | But they all cried out together, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas!” (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) | Parallel account, identity of Barabbas. |
| Acts 3:13-15 | ...The God of Abraham... has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you... | Peter's sermon, recounting rejection of Jesus. |
| Jn 19:15 | But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” | Ultimate rejection of Jesus' kingship. |
| Exod 12:5-7 | Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year... And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. | Passover Lamb requirements. |
| Isa 53:5-6 | But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. | Jesus as suffering substitute. |
| Lev 16:7-10 | ...He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat (Azazel)... | Scapegoat (Atonement Day), symbolizing removal of sin. |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. | Substitutionary atonement. |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"). | Redemption through Christ's sacrifice. |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. | Jesus bearing our sins. |
| 1 Cor 5:7 | ...For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. | Christ as the true Passover Lamb. |
| Jn 1:29 | The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" | Jesus as the sin-bearing Lamb. |
| Jn 1:11 | He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. | Rejection by His own people. |
| Isa 53:3 | He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... | Prophecy of Messiah's rejection. |
| Ps 118:22 | The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. | Prophecy of Messiah's rejection/exaltation. |
| Jn 1:49 | Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" | Acknowledgment of Jesus' kingship. |
| Jn 12:13 | They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!" | Public acclaim of Jesus' kingship (Palm Sunday). |
| Ps 2:6 | "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." | God establishing His King. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder... Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom... | Prophecy of a rightful, eternal King. |
| Zech 9:9 | Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey... | Prophecy of the humble King. |
| 1 Tim 6:15 | ...He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords... | Christ as the supreme King. |
| Luke 23:4 | Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no fault in this Man." | Pilate's declaration of Jesus' innocence. |
John 18 verses
John 18 39 Meaning
John 18:39 highlights the climactic point of Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, where Pilate attempts to release Jesus according to a customary Passover pardon. The verse records Pilate presenting a choice to the Jewish crowd and leaders: either release Jesus, ironically referred to by Pilate as "the King of the Jews," or release another prisoner. This question exposes the tension between Roman authority and Jewish tradition, the true identity of Jesus as King, and foreshadows the crowd's ultimate rejection of Him for a rebel, Barabbas.
John 18 39 Context
John chapter 18 details Jesus' final hours before His crucifixion, encompassing His arrest in Gethsemane, interrogation by Annas and Caiaphas, and His trial before Pontius Pilate. Prior to verse 39, Pilate questions Jesus about His kingship (John 18:33-38), to which Jesus clarifies that His kingdom is "not of this world" and is about bearing witness to the truth. Pilate concludes by stating, "I find no guilt in him" (John 18:38). Verse 39 follows this declaration, showing Pilate's attempt to use an established custom to release Jesus, thus absolving himself of the direct decision and attempting to appeal to the Jewish people during their most sacred festival. Historically, Passover was a time of heightened religious and nationalistic fervor, making Pilate wary of public unrest. Roman governors sometimes offered pardons as a gesture of goodwill or to ease tensions, and this particular custom in Judea during Passover, though debated in its precise origins, allowed Pilate a perceived loophole to release an innocent man while placating the Jewish leaders and crowd.
John 18 39 Word analysis
But: Greek: De (δέ). Introduces a contrast. It highlights Pilate's transition from interrogating Jesus and finding no fault in Him (Jn 18:38) to now presenting a public choice, implying a reluctance to directly condemn Jesus, yet bowing to external pressure.
you have: Implies an existing, established practice. Pilate acknowledges it as their custom, positioning himself as respecting it, rather than establishing it.
a custom: Greek: ethos (ἔθος). Refers to a usage, habit, or tradition. While common for rulers to grant clemency, this specific Passover release custom is mentioned only in the Gospels, suggesting it may have been a local Roman concession to Judean sentiment, not a universal Roman practice. It lacked legal foundation in Mosaic law.
that I should release someone: Greek: apolyo (ἀπολύω) - to release, send away, set free. This emphasizes Pilate's judicial authority and the act of official pardon. The custom gives him an avenue to release a prisoner of the people's choice.
for you: Underscores the intended beneficence or concession of this custom toward the Jewish people, potentially as a Roman measure to maintain order during the volatile Passover season.
at the Passover: Greek: Pascha (Πάσχα). The specific timing is critical. Passover celebrated liberation from bondage, making the choice to condemn the liberator (Jesus) while freeing a revolutionary (Barabbas) deeply ironic and tragically symbolic.
So: Greek: Oun (οὖν). A connective indicating a consequence or continuation; "therefore," "accordingly." Pilate's logical progression from stating the custom to making a direct offer based on it.
do you want me to release for you: A direct question from Pilate, designed to transfer the decision-making burden and the accompanying popular responsibility onto the Jewish multitude. It frames the release as a gift to them.
the King of the Jews?: Greek: Basileus tōn Ioudaiōn (βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων). This title is highly significant. Pilate uses it directly, perhaps sarcastically or ironically, but also as a political designation to highlight the charges against Jesus. For Pilate, it was a point of sedition. For the Jewish leaders, it was a blasphemous claim as they denied Jesus' messianic identity. Yet, from a theological perspective, it declared Jesus' true divine identity and royal authority. This term stands in stark contrast to Barabbas's character as a revolutionary king.
"But you have a custom... So do you want me to release...": This grouping reveals Pilate's strategic maneuver. Having declared Jesus innocent, Pilate employs the 'custom' as a political expedient, shifting the onus of decision from himself to the crowd, leveraging their popular custom for his administrative convenience and a perceived gesture of goodwill during a volatile feast.
"...release someone for you at the Passover... King of the Jews?": The juxtaposed concepts here are powerful. The custom allows the release of "someone," a generic prisoner, but Pilate specifically highlights "the King of the Jews." This forces the crowd to choose between a literal king (who challenged Rome's authority indirectly) and their awaited King who brings spiritual truth. The backdrop of Passover, a festival of liberation from bondage, intensifies the irony of choosing Barabbas (a violent insurrectionist representing earthly liberation) over Jesus (the innocent One, offering true spiritual freedom).
John 18 39 Bonus section
The name Barabbas (Βαραββᾶς) likely means "son of the father" or "son of Abbas." The contrast between Jesus, the Son of the true Father, and Barabbas, "son of a father," highlights the profound spiritual choice. Furthermore, some early textual variations of Matt 27:16 refer to Barabbas as "Jesus Barabbas" (Ἰησοῦν τὸν Βαραββᾶν), which would intensify the dramatic irony: the people were essentially choosing between two men named Jesus, one the Christ, the other a notorious criminal, truly making it a choice between life and death. This "custom" also illustrates Pilate's weakness and pragmatism. Despite his authority, he allowed external pressure to sway him from justice, symbolically "washing his hands" of the decision while ceding moral responsibility to the very people he governed. This event further underlines that Jesus' condemnation was not primarily a legal verdict based on evidence but a popular demand driven by malice and fear, orchestrating God's sovereign plan for redemption.
John 18 39 Commentary
John 18:39 succinctly captures Pilate's desperate political strategy and the profound theological irony inherent in the trial of Jesus. Faced with the unwavering conviction that Jesus was innocent of Roman sedition (as he concluded in Jn 18:38) and the immense pressure from the Jewish leadership demanding His crucifixion, Pilate resorts to a popular custom. This Passover release custom, possibly a Roman appeasement to the Jewish populace, provided an escape valve for him to avoid a direct confrontation over Jesus.
By proposing the release of "the King of the Jews," Pilate attempts to corner the Jewish leaders. He perhaps sneers at their proclaimed 'King' who stands meek and bound before him, or perhaps truly believes the Jews, if given a free choice, would choose Jesus. This forces the Jewish populace and their leaders to confront Jesus' claim (or others' claim about Him) to kingship, which was an explosive political and religious issue. The tragic choice the crowd makes (to release Barabbas, a literal rebel and murderer, instead of Jesus, the innocent King) sets the stage for the crucifixion. This choice foreshadows the theme of substitution, where the innocent Lamb of God is chosen to suffer the fate deserved by a criminal, fulfilling prophecy and demonstrating divine love for humanity. It exposes the spiritual blindness of those who sought an earthly deliverer over their true spiritual King.