Mark 15:9 kjv
But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
Mark 15:9 nkjv
But Pilate answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"
Mark 15:9 niv
"Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate,
Mark 15:9 esv
And he answered them, saying, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?"
Mark 15:9 nlt
"Would you like me to release to you this 'King of the Jews'?" Pilate asked.
Mark 15 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 27:17 | So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" | Parallel account of Pilate offering the choice. |
| Matt 27:21 | The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." | Repetition of the offer and the crowd's initial response. |
| Luke 23:18 | But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!" | Parallel account showing the crowd's unanimous rejection. |
| John 18:39 | But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews? | Parallel account explicitly mentioning the Passover custom. |
| Matt 27:11 | Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." | Jesus acknowledges His Kingship before Pilate, basis for the title. |
| Luke 23:3 | And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." | Another parallel account of Jesus's affirmation. |
| John 18:33 | So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" | Pilate's direct inquiry to Jesus about His kingship. |
| John 19:19-22 | Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." ... The Jewish chief priests said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." | Pilate's persistence in using the title even at the cross. |
| Deut 21:6-7 | ...and all the elders of that city nearest to the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken... and shall say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it shed.' | Pilate attempting to distance himself from culpability. |
| Matt 27:24 | So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd... | Pilate symbolically attempts to absolve himself of guilt. |
| Luke 23:4 | Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man." | Pilate's repeated declaration of Jesus's innocence, before offering the choice. |
| John 19:6 | When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." | Pilate reiterating Jesus's innocence and attempting to hand over responsibility. |
| John 19:12 | From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend..." | Pilate's desire to release Jesus thwarted by fear of political reprisal. |
| Acts 3:13-15 | The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you... | Peter's sermon highlighting Jewish rejection of Jesus and Pilate's initial intention to release Him. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. | Prophetic anticipation of the rejection of the Messiah. |
| John 1:11 | He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. | The rejection of Jesus by the Jewish people, echoed in this event. |
| Zech 11:12-13 | Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver... | Foreshadows the price and betrayal of the Messiah by His own people. |
| Jer 22:24-27 | As I live, declares the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off... and give you into the hand of those who seek your life... | Shows divine judgment on unfaithful kings of Judah, in contrast to Jesus's true, righteous Kingship. |
| 1 Pet 2:21-23 | For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps... When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. | Jesus's silent suffering and surrender, aligning with His attitude before Pilate. |
| Acts 2:23 | this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. | God's sovereign plan at work even through human injustice. |
| 1 Cor 1:23 | but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. | The message of the crucified Christ was scandalous to Jews who sought a conquering Messiah. |
Mark 15 verses
Mark 15 9 Meaning
Pilate, the Roman governor, presents the multitude with a choice to release a prisoner according to a Passover custom. He specifically asks if they wish him to release Jesus, whom he refers to as "the King of the Jews," thereby highlighting the nature of the primary charge against Jesus and, perhaps, appealing to their messianic hopes, or conversely, attempting to expose the absurdity of their accusations for a non-political figure.
Mark 15 9 Context
Mark 15:9 is situated during Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, following His arrest and interrogation by the Jewish Sanhedrin. Chapters 14 and 15 detail the betrayal, Gethsemane, Peter's denial, and Jesus's arraignment before Caiaphas and then Pilate. The preceding verses (Mark 15:1-5) describe Pilate's questioning of Jesus and Jesus's remarkable silence. Verse 6 introduces the "custom" of releasing a prisoner at Passover. The immediate verses (Mark 15:7-8) mention Barabbas, a notable insurgent and murderer, whom the crowd demands, and then describes the crowd pressing Pilate to apply the custom for them. Pilate's question in Mark 15:9 is his strategic response, a final attempt to navigate the complex situation and potentially avoid condemning a man he recognized as politically harmless, and perhaps even innocent. Historically, the "Passover custom" for releasing a prisoner is primarily documented in the Gospels, though such ad hoc acts of clemency by Roman governors were known to occur to maintain goodwill during significant festivals. Mark frames this moment to highlight Pilate's perceived attempts to release Jesus, shifting culpability more towards the Jewish leaders and the crowd's determined opposition.
Mark 15 9 Word analysis
But (δὲ - de): A conjunction introducing a mild contrast or continuation. Here, it indicates Pilate's response in light of the crowd's request. It signals a shift in the dialogue's focus to Pilate's counter-proposal.
Pilate (Πιλᾶτος - Pilatos): Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea (c. AD 26-36). He holds the ultimate Roman authority in the region, including capital judgment. His presence signifies Roman oversight and imperial power over Judea.
answered (ἀπεκρίθη - apekríthē): Literally, "he answered." This indicates a direct, formal response to the demands of the crowd. It shows Pilate is actively engaging with the situation and not merely observing.
them (αὐτοῖς - autois): Refers to the multitude and likely includes the chief priests who stirred them up (Mark 15:8, 11). Pilate is addressing the collective Jewish populace gathered outside the Praetorium.
saying (λέγων - legōn): A participle, "saying," elaborates on how Pilate answered. It leads directly into his rhetorical question, framing his choice.
Do you wish (Θέλετε - Thelete): The Greek verb is thelō, meaning "to desire, wish, want." This is a direct and forceful question from Pilate, designed to prompt a choice. It places the immediate decision-making power in the hands of the crowd, indicating his strategy to shift responsibility.
that I release (ἀπολύσω - apolysō): Literally, "that I may release." This reflects a deliberative subjunctive in Greek, implying a question of intention or permission. It indicates Pilate's offer of an action he would undertake based on their preference. The term "release" signifies liberation from prison or charge.
for you (ὑμῖν - hymin): Dative plural of "you." The release would be for their benefit, satisfaction, or concession to their desires. It underlines the transactional nature of the custom.
the King (τὸν βασιλέα - ton basilea): Refers to Jesus, using a title loaded with political and messianic significance. By explicitly naming Jesus with this title, Pilate challenges the crowd's view of their Messiah and forces them to confront their political allegiance.
of the Jews (τῶν Ἰουδαίων - tōn Ioudaion): Specifies whose King Jesus is. For the Jewish people, this title evoked the promised Davidic Messiah. For Pilate, it represented the official accusation against Jesus (treason against Caesar). Pilate's use of this title is strategic, potentially sarcastic, and ironically highlights Jesus's true, divine claim, even in this moment of His humiliation.
"But Pilate answered them, saying,": This phrase emphasizes Pilate's active role in the unfolding drama, framing his interaction as a direct response to the crowd's clamor, not a passive observation. It sets the stage for his strategic attempt to diffuse the situation.
"Do you wish that I release for you": Pilate presents the choice not as his own, but as one the crowd must make for themselves. This tactic shifts moral culpability from him to them, reflecting his desire to avoid condemning Jesus.
"the King of the Jews?": This phrase is the crux of Pilate's offer. He frames Jesus not just as any prisoner, but specifically by the most provocative and potentially treasonous title the Jewish leadership used against Him. Pilate understood Jesus's non-violent spiritual kingship, but used this term to force the crowd to publicly acknowledge their true desires – whether a spiritual King or a worldly rebel (Barabbas). The irony is palpable: the people reject their true Messiah, who bears the true royal title.
Mark 15 9 Bonus section
The concept of the Passover release custom is intriguing. While widely presented in the Gospels as a well-established tradition, there is limited evidence outside the New Testament of such a specific, regular custom among Roman provincial governors. Some scholars suggest it might have been an exceptional act of clemency initiated by a governor on an ad hoc basis, perhaps even Pilate himself in the context of the agitated Passover crowd. However, its theological significance within the Gospel narrative remains profound regardless of its historical prevalence: it creates a stark contrast between Jesus and Barabbas, the 'son of the father' (Bar-Abbas) who represented armed rebellion against Roman rule, and Jesus, the true Son of the Father, who brought a spiritual kingdom. This choice forced upon the people epitomized their preference for a violent, earthly deliverer over a suffering, divine King. The repeated mention of "the King of the Jews" by Pilate, which also became the inscription on the cross, serves as a poignant, even sarcastic, declaration of Jesus's actual identity amidst His profound humiliation, echoing the theme of His reversed kingship where a crown of thorns precedes the celestial crown.
Mark 15 9 Commentary
Mark 15:9 captures a pivotal moment in Jesus's trial, highlighting Pilate's complex maneuver to resolve the escalating crisis. Pilate, aware of the chief priests' envy and likely discerning Jesus's political innocence, employs the known, albeit possibly informal, Passover custom of releasing a prisoner. His direct question, "Do you wish that I release for you the King of the Jews?", is deeply strategic. Firstly, it attempts to shift the burden of judgment from himself to the multitude, hoping they might choose the popular preacher over a known insurgent like Barabbas. Secondly, by explicitly using the title "the King of the Jews," Pilate underlines the primary charge against Jesus and forces the crowd to declare their allegiance—will they choose their Messiah (albeit one who did not conform to their earthly expectations) or a revolutionary? The implicit irony is profound: the Roman governor inadvertently speaks a deeper truth about Jesus's identity, even as the very people to whom He was promised vehemently reject their true King for a figure representing worldly power and rebellion. This moment foreshadows the ultimate spiritual blindness and rejection that led to Jesus's crucifixion.