John 18:31

KJV

Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

KJV (with Strong's)

Then {G3767} said {G2036} Pilate {G4091} unto them {G846}, Take {G2983} ye {G5210} him {G846}, and {G2532} judge {G2919} him {G846} according {G2596} to your {G5216} law {G3551}. The Jews {G2453} therefore {G3767} said {G2036} unto him {G846}, It is {G1832} not {G3756} lawful {G1832} for us {G2254} to put {G615} any man {G3762} to death {G615}:

Complete Jewish Bible

Pilate said to them, “You take him and judge him according to your own law.” The Judeans replied, “We don’t have the legal power to put anyone to death.”

Berean Standard Bible

“You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.

American Standard Version

Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
John 18:31 captures a pivotal exchange between Pontius Pilate and the Jewish leaders during Jesus' trial, revealing the critical limitation of Jewish judicial authority under Roman occupation. Pilate's attempt to defer judgment back to the Sanhedrin is met with the Jewish leaders' declaration that they are not lawfully permitted to execute anyone, thereby forcing the Roman governor's direct involvement and setting the stage for Jesus' crucifixion, a Roman form of capital punishment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse immediately follows the Jewish leaders bringing Jesus to Pilate's praetorium, having already condemned Him on religious grounds (blasphemy) after interrogations by Annas and Caiaphas ([John 18:12-27](/john/18-12-27 "John 18:12-27 - Jesus' Arrest and Interrogations")). The narrative highlights the Jewish leaders' urgency to secure a death sentence, which they could not lawfully carry out themselves. Pilate's initial reluctance to engage in what he perceives as an internal religious dispute sets up a dramatic confrontation that ultimately forces his hand, leading to a deeper exploration of Jesus' kingship and the nature of truth in the subsequent verses ([John 18:33-38](/john/18-33-38 "John 18:33-38 - Pilate Interrogates Jesus About His Kingship")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Judea was a Roman province, and Roman law dictated that only the Roman governor (procurator) held the *jus gladii*, the right of capital punishment. While local Jewish courts (the Sanhedrin) could try cases, issue judgments, and even impose lesser penalties, they were explicitly forbidden from carrying out executions. This restriction was a constant source of tension and resentment among the Jewish people, as it symbolized their subjugation to Roman authority. The Jewish leaders' statement in this verse is not an evasion but a factual declaration of their legal impotence in matters of life and death, compelling Pilate to assume jurisdiction over Jesus' case.
* **Key Themes:** This passage underscores several profound themes. Firstly, it highlights the **limits of human authority** in the face of divine sovereignty, as the Roman legal system, unbeknownst to its participants, becomes an instrument for God's redemptive plan. Secondly, it emphasizes the **fulfillment of prophecy**, particularly regarding the manner of Jesus' death. Had the Jewish authorities retained the power of execution, Jesus would likely have been stoned, according to Jewish law for blasphemy. However, because Roman law required crucifixion for capital offenses, Jesus' death by crucifixion, as He Himself foretold ([John 12:32](/john/12-32 "John 12:32 - Jesus Foretells His Lifting Up")), was ensured. Thirdly, it reveals **Pilate's political maneuvering** and his attempt to distance himself from a volatile religious conflict, even as he is ultimately drawn into it, demonstrating the complex interplay between earthly power and divine purpose.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **lawful (Greek, _éxesti'_):** This word (G1832) literally means "it is right" or "it is permitted," often in a legal or moral sense. Here, it denotes a legal prohibition, emphasizing that the Jewish authorities were under a binding Roman restriction that stripped them of the right to execute anyone. It underscores the precise legal constraint that necessitated Pilate's involvement.
* **judge (Greek, _krínō'_):** This verb (G2919) means "to distinguish," "to decide," or "to try judicially." Pilate's use of this term indicates his desire for the Jewish leaders to handle the entire legal process, including the final verdict and its execution, according to their own system. However, the Jewish leaders' response clarifies that while they could "judge" in terms of reaching a verdict, they could not "judge" in the sense of carrying out the capital sentence.
* **put to death (Greek, _apokteínō'_):** This compound verb (G615) means "to kill outright" or "to slay." It directly refers to capital punishment. The Jewish leaders' explicit statement that it was not lawful "to put any man to death" precisely identifies the specific legal power they lacked, which was crucial for the unfolding of God's plan for Jesus' crucifixion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law."**: Pilate's initial response is an attempt to deflect responsibility and avoid entanglement in what he perceives as an internal Jewish religious dispute. He instructs the Jewish leaders to handle Jesus' case themselves, according to their own legal system, implying that if they had found Jesus guilty, they should carry out the appropriate judgment. This reveals Pilate's desire to maintain Roman distance from local religious affairs and avoid any potential political unrest.
* **"The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:"**: This is the Jewish leaders' crucial reply, which forces Pilate's hand. Their statement is a direct acknowledgment of their legal impotence under Roman rule. While they had condemned Jesus for blasphemy, Jewish law prescribed stoning for such an offense. However, the Roman occupation had stripped them of the *jus gladii* (right of the sword), meaning they could not legally execute anyone. This legal constraint is pivotal, as it shifts the responsibility for Jesus' death squarely onto the Roman governor, ensuring that Jesus would be crucified, a Roman method of execution, rather than stoned.

#### Literary Devices
The passage employs several literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as Pilate, attempting to avoid involvement, inadvertently becomes the instrument through which God's sovereign plan for Jesus' death is fulfilled. The Jewish leaders, in their zealous pursuit of Jesus' condemnation, are forced to appeal to the very Roman authority they resent, thus ensuring the specific manner of Jesus' death. There is also a strong sense of **Foreshadowing**, as this legal technicality directly leads to Jesus' crucifixion, a Roman form of execution, precisely as Jesus had prophesied concerning His being "lifted up" ([John 3:14](/john/3-14 "John 3:14 - The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up"); [John 12:32-33](/john/12-32-33 "John 12:32-33 - Jesus Foretells His Crucifixion")). Finally, the **Contrast** between Jewish law and Roman law, and between human legal systems and divine sovereignty, is starkly drawn, highlighting how even the machinations of earthly powers serve a higher, preordained purpose.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This exchange powerfully illustrates God's meticulous sovereignty, even over the seemingly mundane details of human legal and political systems. The Roman prohibition on Jewish capital punishment, a point of contention and humiliation for the Jewish people, became the precise mechanism through which prophecies concerning Jesus' crucifixion were fulfilled. It underscores that no human authority, no matter how powerful or seemingly autonomous, can thwart God's ultimate plan. This legal technicality ensured that Jesus would die by crucifixion, a death that was both a Roman punishment and a specific fulfillment of Old Testament types and prophecies, rather than by stoning, which would have been the Jewish penalty for blasphemy. God's hand is evident in orchestrating these events to bring about the atoning sacrifice of His Son.

* [John 19:10-11](/john/19-10-11 "John 19:10-11 - Pilate's Authority and Jesus' Response"): Jesus tells Pilate, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above," confirming divine sovereignty over earthly power.
* [Acts 2:23](/acts/2-23 "Acts 2:23 - God's Deliberate Plan"): Peter declares that Jesus was "delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God," emphasizing that His death was not accidental but part of a divine purpose.
* [Isaiah 53:7-8](/isaiah/53-7-8 "Isaiah 53:7-8 - The Suffering Servant Led to Slaughter"): This prophecy describes the Suffering Servant being "cut off from the land of the living," which aligns with a public, Roman execution rather than a Jewish one.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
John 18:31 offers profound reassurance regarding God's unwavering sovereignty in the midst of human chaos and injustice. It reminds us that even when earthly powers seem to hold absolute sway, they are ultimately operating within the boundaries of God's overarching plan. For believers, this means that no circumstance, no political decision, and no legal outcome can ultimately thwart the divine will. We can find comfort in knowing that God is actively working, often through unexpected means, to bring about His purposes, even when those purposes involve suffering or apparent defeat. This perspective encourages us to trust in God's control, even when situations appear dire or beyond our understanding, and to recognize His hand in the unfolding of history, both personal and global.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this passage challenge your understanding of human authority versus divine sovereignty?**
* **In what areas of your life do you need to surrender control and trust more fully in God's overarching plan, even when circumstances seem unjust or out of control?**
* **How does the fulfillment of prophecy in this verse strengthen your faith in the Bible's reliability and God's faithfulness?**

### FAQ
**Why couldn't the Jewish leaders execute Jesus themselves?**

Answer: Under Roman occupation, the Jewish Sanhedrin, while retaining significant religious and civil authority, had been stripped of the *jus gladii*, or the right of capital punishment. This legal restriction meant that only the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, had the authority to authorize and carry out a death sentence. The Jewish leaders' statement in [John 18:31](/john/18-31 "John 18:31 - Jewish Leaders' Legal Limitation") was therefore a factual declaration of their legal limitation, compelling them to bring Jesus before Pilate to secure the death penalty they desired.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The legal technicality presented in [John 18:31](/john/18-31 "John 18:31 - Pilate and the Jewish Leaders") is a critical, albeit subtle, element in the Christ-centered fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Had the Jewish authorities possessed the power of execution, Jesus would likely have been stoned for blasphemy, according to Jewish law ([Leviticus 24:16](/leviticus/24-16 "Leviticus 24:16 - Penalty for Blasphemy")). However, because they lacked this authority, Jesus was delivered to the Romans, ensuring His death by crucifixion, a Roman method of execution. This was no accident, but a precise fulfillment of Jesus' own prophecies concerning how He would be "lifted up" ([John 3:14](/john/3-14 "John 3:14 - The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up"); [John 12:32-33](/john/12-32-33 "John 12:32-33 - Jesus Foretells His Crucifixion")) and the Old Testament prophecies of the Suffering Servant ([Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - Wounded for Our Transgressions")). His crucifixion, with its outstretched arms, perfectly symbolizes the universal reach of His atoning sacrifice, drawing all people to Himself ([Colossians 2:14](/colossians/2-14 "Colossians 2:14 - Nailing Our Debt to the Cross")). Thus, even the legal limitations of a conquered people served the sovereign purpose of God to bring about the specific, prophesied, and ultimately salvific death of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1:29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

John 19:6

When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify [him], crucify [him]. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify [him]: for I find no fault in him.

John 19:7

The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

John 19:15

But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Acts 25:18

Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

Acts 25:20

And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked [him] whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

Ezekiel 21:26

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high.

Ezekiel 21:27

I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no [more], until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [him].