Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Pilate {G4091} therefore {G3767} went {G1831} forth {G1854} again {G3825}, and {G2532} saith {G3004} unto them {G846}, Behold {G2396}, I bring {G71} him {G846} forth {G1854} to you {G5213}, that {G2443} ye may know {G1097} that {G3754} I find {G2147} no {G3762} fault {G156} in {G1722} him {G846}.
Pilate went outside once more and said to the crowd, “Look, I’m bringing him out to you to get you to understand that I find no case against him.”
Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him.
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John 18:38
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault [at all]. -
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. -
Luke 23:4
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and [to] the people, I find no fault in this man. -
Luke 23:47
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. -
Matthew 27:24
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]. -
Luke 23:41
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. -
Matthew 27:4
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What [is that] to us? see thou [to that].
In John 19:4, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, makes a public declaration regarding Jesus Christ. He brings Jesus forth to the Jewish leaders and the crowd, emphatically stating, "Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him." This verse highlights Pilate's repeated efforts to release Jesus, underscoring Jesus' innocence in the eyes of Roman law.
Context
This verse is situated during the tumultuous trial of Jesus, just before His crucifixion. Pilate had already interrogated Jesus and found no grounds for His execution, a fact he first declared in John 18:38. Despite this conviction, Pilate was under immense political pressure from the Jewish religious authorities, who were determined to see Jesus condemned for blasphemy and sedition. His act of bringing Jesus out again, potentially after Jesus had been scourged, was a desperate attempt to appease the crowd and persuade them to release Him, reiterating His blamelessness.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The KJV phrase "no fault" translates the Greek oudemian aitian (οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν), which literally means "no cause" or "no charge." This is a legal term, indicating that there was no valid legal accusation or grounds for condemnation against Jesus. Pilate's use of this precise legal phrasing emphasizes that from a Roman legal perspective, Jesus was innocent of any crime warranting death.
Reflection and Application
John 19:4 serves as a powerful reminder of Jesus' unblemished character and the injustice He endured. His suffering was not for any wrongdoing of His own, but as the perfect sacrifice for humanity's sins. This verse can encourage believers to stand firm in truth and righteousness, even when facing opposition or injustice, knowing that God's ultimate plan unfolds regardless of human failings. It also underscores the profound truth that Jesus "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth", making Him the spotless Lamb suitable for atonement.