Matthew 27 24

Matthew 27:24 kjv

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Matthew 27:24 nkjv

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."

Matthew 27:24 niv

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"

Matthew 27:24 esv

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, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."

Matthew 27:24 nlt

Pilate saw that he wasn't getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours!"

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 24 Meaning

Matthew 27:24 describes Pontius Pilate's public declaration of his perceived innocence in the impending death of Jesus. Seeing that his efforts to release Jesus were futile and that the crowd was becoming agitated, Pilate symbolically washed his hands, asserting that he was not responsible for the blood of this "just person." He then shifted the burden of responsibility to the multitude, stating, "see ye to it," signifying that they should bear the consequence of their demand.

Matthew 27 24 Context

Matthew 27:24 is set in the tense environment of Jesus' trial before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, immediately preceding the crucifixion. After Judas's betrayal and the Jewish Sanhedrin's condemnation of Jesus, they brought Him to Pilate, as only the Roman authority could impose the death penalty. Pilate, finding no legitimate fault with Jesus (Mt 27:18, 23), attempts to release Him, first by suggesting a release in honor of the Passover custom and then by offering a choice between Jesus and Barabbas. Despite Pilate's attempts, incited by the chief priests and elders, the crowd vehemently demands Jesus' crucifixion. The "tumult" referred to is the growing riotous clamor of the agitated populace. Pilate, concerned with maintaining public order, Roman authority, and avoiding a potential insurrection, resorts to this symbolic act of hand-washing as a public display of disavowing responsibility, conceding to the crowd's demand under duress. This cultural act, understood from both Roman pragmatic and Jewish ceremonial perspectives, shifts the moral culpability to the people themselves.

Matthew 27 24 Word analysis

• When Pilate saw: Implies Pilate's visual assessment of the chaotic situation.
• that he could prevail nothing (οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ - ouden ophelei): Lit. "he was gaining nothing," "it profited nothing." His efforts to secure Jesus' release were unsuccessful; his arguments or authority had no positive effect against the crowd's determined opposition.
• but that rather a tumult was made (μάλλον θόρυβος γίνεται - mallon thorubos ginetai): Lit. "rather, a clamor/uproar was happening/arising." Indicates the increasing unrest, agitation, and potential for a full-scale riot among the crowd. This was a critical concern for Roman governors, as riots could lead to imperial intervention and damage to their career.
• he took water (λαβὼν ὕδωρ - labōn hydōr): A simple action, but laden with symbolic weight in its execution.
• and washed his hands (ἀπενίψατο τὰς χεῖρας - apenipsato tas cheiras): "He washed his hands off." This action has strong resonance with Old Testament passages (e.g., Deut 21:6-7, Ps 26:6) where hand-washing symbolizes a declaration of innocence or freedom from guilt. Though Pilate was a Roman, the Jewish people and potentially other cultural groups in the Roman world understood this gesture. It was a public performance, a theatrical way of saying, "This is not on me."
• before the multitude (ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ὄχλου - emprosthen tou ochlou): The act was public and demonstrative, reinforcing his disavowal of guilt directly to those present. It was an official's performative dismissal of responsibility.
• saying: The spoken declaration that clarifies and emphasizes the symbolic act.
• I am innocent (ἀθῷός εἰμι - athōios eimi): Lit. "I am blameless," "not liable for punishment." A categorical statement denying his culpability in Jesus' condemnation.
• of the blood (τοῦ αἵματος - tou haimatos): Refers to the responsibility for Jesus' death. "Blood" in this context signifies violent death and the associated guilt.
• of this just person (τοῦ δικαίου τούτου - tou dikaiou toutou): "Of this righteous one," or "this innocent man." This is a profound and unique admission by Pilate in Matthew's account, affirming Jesus' blameless character, contrasting starkly with the Jewish leaders' accusations. Pilate, the Roman authority, recognizes Jesus' righteousness even as he sends Him to His death.
• see ye to it (ὑμεῖς ὄψεσθε - hymeis opsesthe): Lit. "you yourselves will see," "you yourselves will look after it." This is an imperative command that shifts the responsibility directly onto the crowd and the Jewish leadership. It means "the responsibility is yours; you will deal with the consequences."

Words-group analysis

• Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made: This phrase encapsulates Pilate's political predicament. He prioritized maintaining peace and his own authority over delivering justice, demonstrating a weak and pragmatic leadership style driven by fear of unrest.
• he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude: This powerful action and public display illustrate an attempt to psychologically distance himself from an act he perceived as wrong. It's a dramatic declaration of innocence, an attempt to cleanse himself of responsibility for an unrighteous verdict he allowed to happen.
• saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it: The verbal declaration confirms the symbolic act. His acknowledgment of Jesus as "just" highlights his moral conflict and the profound irony of the situation. The final phrase "see ye to it" is a forceful repudiation of accountability and a direct assignment of it to the people, setting the stage for their response in the next verse. This phrase reflects both Pilate's resignation and his strategic maneuver to pacify the mob while outwardly clearing himself.

Matthew 27 24 Bonus section

• Pilate's actions here stand in contrast to some historical accounts that portray him as particularly brutal and uncompromising. Matthew's Gospel uniquely emphasizes his attempts to release Jesus and his subsequent dramatic public display of innocence, potentially serving to underscore the culpability of the Jewish leaders and people to his Jewish Christian audience.
• The phrase "washing one's hands of a matter" has become an enduring idiom in Western culture, directly derived from Pilate's act in this verse, signifying the renunciation of responsibility for something.
• Though Pilate sought to absolve himself, the ultimate authority lay in God's hands. Pilate's weakness and capitulation were part of the predetermined divine plan, as highlighted in Acts 4:27-28, which asserts that Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, and Israelites were gathered "to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."

Matthew 27 24 Commentary

Matthew 27:24 is a pivotal moment showcasing Pilate's moral bankruptcy despite his acknowledgement of Jesus' innocence. His public hand-washing and verbal declaration represent a legalistic yet deeply hypocritical attempt to absolve himself of guilt. He saw Jesus as "just" or righteous, a damning admission of the injustice he was about to commit. Driven by political expediency and fear of a riot rather than a commitment to justice, Pilate knowingly condemned an innocent man. This act, while ritually performed to divest himself of responsibility, profoundly burdens the crowd and the Jewish leadership (as seen in Mt 27:25), highlighting human culpability in Jesus' crucifixion. Ultimately, however, human will—even Pilate's attempt to deny responsibility—played its part in the divine plan for redemption, a greater truth unseen by the players.