Matthew 27:16 kjv
And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
Matthew 27:16 nkjv
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
Matthew 27:16 niv
At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas.
Matthew 27:16 esv
And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
Matthew 27:16 nlt
This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.
Matthew 27 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 27:15 | Now at the feast Pilate was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner, whom they wished. | Pilate's custom during Passover. |
| Mk 15:6 | Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. | Mark's parallel on the custom. |
| Lk 23:17 | (For it was necessary for him to release one prisoner for them at the feast.) | Luke's parenthetical note on the necessity. |
| Jn 18:39 | But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. | John's account of Pilate offering the choice. |
| Mk 15:7 | And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection... | Identifies Barabbas as a murderer/rebel. |
| Lk 23:19 | He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection... | Barabbas imprisoned for rebellion/murder. |
| Jn 18:40 | They cried out again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. | The crowd's direct choice, Barabbas as a "robber." |
| Isa 53:5 | But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... | Jesus as the substitute for sinners. |
| 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. | Christ's substitutionary sacrifice. |
| Rom 3:25-26 | ...whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood... | God's justice and propitiation through Christ. |
| 1 Pet 2:24 | who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree... | Christ bearing sin on the cross. |
| Dt 30:19 | I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life... | Humanity's fundamental choice between paths. |
| Jn 3:19 | And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness... | Men's preference for darkness over light. |
| Mt 13:15 | For the hearts of this people have grown dull... | Spiritual blindness and refusal to understand. |
| Acts 2:23 | Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God... | God's sovereign plan for Christ's suffering. |
| Acts 3:14 | But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you... | Peter's indictment of those who chose Barabbas. |
| Ps 2:7 | You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. | Contrast between Barabbas ("son of father") and true Son. |
| Mt 3:17 | And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son...” | Confirmation of Jesus as the true Son of God. |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us... | Jesus bearing the curse on the tree for us. |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man brings a snare... | Illustrates human tendency to succumb to popular opinion. |
| Php 2:7-8 | But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant... | Christ's humility unto death, even as a prisoner. |
| 1 Jn 2:2 | And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. | Christ as propitiation, highlighting universal scope. |
Matthew 27 verses
Matthew 27 16 Meaning
Matthew 27:16 sets the stage for Pontius Pilate's presentation of a choice to the Jewish crowd during the Passover feast. It identifies Barabbas as a specific, well-known prisoner whom they held at that time. This verse is crucial as it introduces the infamous individual who would be directly contrasted with Jesus, the Christ, leading to a profound symbolic decision by the multitude.
Matthew 27 16 Context
Matthew 27:16 is part of the account of Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, just prior to His crucifixion. This passage immediately follows Pilate's understanding of the chief priests' envy as the reason for Jesus' arrest. The Passover custom, as introduced in verse 15, allowed the governor to release one prisoner as a gesture of goodwill during the festival. Into this tradition, Barabbas is introduced, establishing the dramatic choice that Pilate intends to offer the crowd. Historically, Passover celebrated liberation, making the choice to release a murderous insurrectionist instead of the true Liberator, Jesus, deeply ironic and tragic. Barabbas, whose background involved rebellion and murder (as described in the parallel Gospel accounts), represents violent resistance against Roman rule and human depravity, a stark contrast to Jesus, who preached peace and lived a blameless life.
Matthew 27 16 Word analysis
- And they had then: This phrase introduces a contemporary reality, a custom (as mentioned in verse 15) that was in effect. It implies an established practice rather than a novel situation.
- a notable: From the Greek word "ἐπίσημον" (episēmon). While "episēmon" can mean distinguished or outstanding in a positive sense (as in Rom 16:7 where it means "of note among the apostles"), in this context, it unequivocally signifies notoriety, infamous renown, or someone well-known for their criminal actions. It highlights that Barabbas was not an obscure criminal, but one whose name and deeds were familiar to the public. His prominence intensifies the choice presented to the crowd.
- prisoner: From the Greek "δέσμιον" (desmion), meaning literally "one bound" or "a person in bonds." This emphasizes his state of captivity and legal confinement, highlighting his guilt under the law, whether Roman or Jewish, for his actions. It draws a stark parallel and contrast: both Jesus and Barabbas were "prisoners," yet one was truly guilty and the other innocent.
- called Barabbas: "Βαραββᾶν" (Barabban) is an Aramaic name, "Bar Abba," meaning "Son of the Father." The very name is fraught with profound theological irony. The crowd chose Barabbas, "son of a father," a man guilty of insurrection and murder, over Jesus, the true Son of the Father, the Christ, who was innocent and came to bring true freedom. This deliberate naming accentuates the substitutionary theme that follows and underscores humanity's profound misjudgment and rejection of God's perfect Son.
Matthew 27 16 Bonus section
A significant textual variant exists for Matthew 27:16 and 27:17 in some ancient manuscripts. Some versions read "Jesus Barabbas" ("Ἰησοῦν τὸν Βαραββᾶν") instead of simply "Barabbas." If this reading is original, the dilemma posed by Pilate becomes even more stark and pointed: "Which of the two Jesus's do you want me to release to you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?" This intensifies the profound theological contrast and highlights the substitution, as one "Jesus" (a false son/savior, a rebel) is chosen over the other "Jesus" (the true Son/Savior, the Christ). The people explicitly reject Jesus, the Messiah, by name, choosing instead another Jesus, who symbolizes rebellion and crime. This reading, though debated by textual critics, underscores the depth of spiritual blindness and human culpability in Christ's crucifixion, making the choice undeniably deliberate and personal against the Lord Jesus Himself.
Matthew 27 16 Commentary
Matthew 27:16, while a brief sentence, acts as a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative. It is the direct introduction of Barabbas, whose existence and notoriety serve as the lynchpin for Pilate's ill-fated strategy to release Jesus. The description of Barabbas as "notable" underscores that his presence was not coincidental; he was a notorious figure, likely involved in violent acts against Roman authority (Mark and Luke confirm he was a murderer and insurrectionist). The profound irony lies in his name, "Son of the Father," and the choice presented: "Jesus Barabbas" (in some manuscript traditions) versus "Jesus who is called Christ." Humanity, manipulated by corrupt religious leaders, chose the earthly "son of the father," a representative of human rebellion and death, over the true Son of God the Father, who offered spiritual life. This decision epitomizes mankind's fallen condition, preferring sin and chaos to divine truth and order, thereby orchestrating the substitutionary sacrifice of the innocent for the guilty, central to Christian theology.