Luke 23:18

And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this [man], and release unto us Barabbas:

And {G1161} they cried out {G349} all at once {G3826}, saying {G3004}, Away with {G142} this {G5126} man, and {G1161} release {G630} unto us {G2254} Barabbas {G912}:

But with one voice they shouted, “Away with this man! Give us Bar-Abba!”

But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”

But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:—

Context

Luke 23:18 describes a pivotal moment during the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate. Following Jesus' arrest and initial questioning by the Jewish Sanhedrin, He was brought to Pilate, the Roman governor, because the Jewish authorities lacked the power to execute Him. Pilate repeatedly declared Jesus innocent (Luke 23:4, 23:14, 23:22). It was a custom during the Passover feast for the governor to release one prisoner to the crowd. Pilate, hoping to release Jesus, presented a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, a notorious rebel and murderer (Luke 23:19).

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Rejection of Christ: This verse powerfully illustrates the crowd's definitive rejection of Jesus as their Messiah and King. Despite Pilate's attempts to free Him, the people, influenced by the chief priests and scribes (Matthew 27:20), demanded His crucifixion. This act of rejecting the light for darkness highlights humanity's fallen nature.
  • Mob Mentality: The phrase "all at once" emphasizes the overwhelming and unified cry of the crowd. This demonstrates the dangerous power of mob mentality, where individual reason can be overridden by collective emotion and manipulation, leading to irrational and unjust decisions.
  • The Exchange of the Innocent for the Guilty: The demand to release Barabbas instead of Jesus is a profound theological statement. Barabbas, a criminal deserving of death, was set free, while Jesus, the innocent Son of God, was condemned. This mirrors the core message of the Gospel: Christ, the innocent, died for the guilty, offering salvation through His substitutionary sacrifice.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "Away with this [man]" translates the Greek verb aíro (αἴρω) combined with touton (τοῦτον, "this one"). While aíro can mean "to take up" or "to carry away," in this context, it carries the strong imperative sense of "take him away," "remove him," or "crucify him." It's a vehement demand for Jesus' elimination, often implying execution, as seen in John 19:15 where the crowd cries, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him."

Practical Application

This verse serves as a sober reminder of several truths relevant to believers today:

  • The Choice We Face: Just as the crowd had to choose between Jesus and Barabbas, humanity continually faces a choice: to accept or reject Christ. Our response determines our eternal destiny and our relationship with God.
  • Beware of Influence: The crowd was easily swayed by religious leaders with ulterior motives. This warns us to critically examine sources of influence and to always test what we hear against the truth of God's Word (Acts 17:11).
  • The Depth of God's Love: The release of Barabbas and the condemnation of Jesus highlights the incredible substitutionary atonement. God allowed His perfect Son to suffer an unjust death so that imperfect, guilty humanity could be set free. This profound act of love is the foundation of Christian faith and offers hope and redemption to all who believe.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Acts 21:36

    For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.

  • Acts 3:14

    But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

  • Acts 22:22

    ¶ And they gave him audience unto this word, and [then] lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a [fellow] from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

  • John 18:39

    But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

  • John 18:40

    Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

  • Mark 15:6

    Now at [that] feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

  • Mark 15:15

    ¶ And [so] Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged [him], to be crucified.

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