Luke 23:22

THE MESSAGE

He tried a third time. "But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.”

King James Version (1611)
And hee said vnto them the third time, Why, what euill hath he done? I haue found no cause of death in him, I will therefore chastise him, & let him goe.

King James Version
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

English Standard Version
A third time he said to them, "Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him."

New American Standard Bible
And he said to them a third time, "Why, what has this Man done wrong? I have found in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him."

New Century Version
A third time Pilate said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free."

Amplified Bible
A third time he said to them, "Why, what wrong has He done? I have found no guilt [no crime, no offense] in Him demanding death; therefore I will punish Him [to teach Him a lesson] and release Him."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him."

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to them a third time, "Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt worthy of death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him."

Berean Standard Bible
A third time he said to them, "What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him."

Contemporary English Version
Pilate spoke to them a third time, "But what crime has he done? I have not found him guilty of anything for which he should be put to death. I will have him beaten with a whip and set free."

Complete Jewish Bible
A third time he asked them, "But what has this man done wrong? I haven't found any reason to put him to death. So I'm going to have him flogged and set free."

Darby Translation
And he said the third time to them, What evil then has this [man] done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will chastise him therefore and release him.

Easy-to-Read Version
A third time Pilate said to the people, "Why? What wrong has he done? He is not guilty. I can find no reason to kill him. So I will let him go free after I punish him a little."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd vnto them the third time, But what euill hath he done? I finde no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him loose.

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to them the third time, What evil has he done? I have found nothing in him, worthy of death; I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

Good News Translation
Pilate said to them the third time, "But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free."

Lexham English Bible
So he said to them a third time, "Why? What wrong has this man done? I found no basis for an accusation deserving death in him. Therefore I will punish him and release him."

Literal Translation
And a third time he said to them, For what evil did this One do? I found no cause of death in Him. Therefore, chastising Him, I will release Him .

American Standard Version
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to them a third time, Why, what evil has he done? I see no reason for putting him to death: I will give him punishment and let him go.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him."

International Standard Version
Then he spoke to them a third time: "What has he done wrong? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. So I will punish him and let him go."

Etheridge Translation
He the third time also said to them, Why, what evil hath this done? Cause whatever that is worthy of death, I find not in him: I will therefore chastise him, and dismiss him.

Murdock Translation
And he said to them the third time: But, what evil hath he done? I find no crime in him deserving of death. I will scourge him, therefore, and release him.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayde vnto them the thirde tyme: What euyll hath he done? I finde no cause of death in hym, I wyll therefore chasten hym, and let hym go.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.

World English Bible
He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise and release him.

Weymouth's New Testament
A third time he appealed to them: "Why, what crime has the man committed? I have discovered in him nothing that deserves death. I will therefore give him a light punishment and release him."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the thridde tyme he seide to hem, For what yuel hath this don? Y fynde no cause of deeth in hym; therfor Y schal chastise hym, and Y schal delyuer.

Update Bible Version
And he said to them the third time, Why, what evil has this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him; I will therefore chastise him, and let [him] go.

New English Translation
A third time he said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty of no crime deserving death. I will therefore flog him and release him."

New King James Version
Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

New Living Translation
For the third time he demanded, "Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him."

New Life Bible
Pilate said to them the third time, "Why, what bad thing has He done? I have found no reason to put Him to death. I will punish Him and let Him go free."

New Revised Standard
A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he, the third time, said unto them - Why! what base thing hath this man done? Nothing worthy of death, found I in him. Chastising him, then, I will release him!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them the third time: Why, what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will chastise him therefore and let him go.

Revised Standard Version
A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
He sayde vnto them the thyrde tyme. What evyll hath he done? I fynde no cause of deeth in him. I will therfore chasten him and let him lowse.

Young's Literal Translation
And he a third time said unto them, `Why, what evil did he? no cause of death did I find in him; having chastised him, then, I will release [him].'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yet sayde he vnto them, the thirde tyme: What euell the hath he done? I fynde no cause of death in hi, therfore wil I chasten him, and let him go.

Mace New Testament (1729)
however he urg'd it a third time, why, what crime has he done? I don't find he has done any thing that deserves death: I will therefore order him to be whipp'd, and so dismiss him.

Simplified Cowboy Version
For the third time, Pilate appealed to them, "What for? Look at him! He has done nothing. I will have him whipped, but then I'm releasing him."

Contextual Overview

¹³Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, "You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It's clear that he's done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go." At that, the crowd went wild: "Kill him! Give us Barabbas!" (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again. But they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!" He tried a third time. "But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go." But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted. As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus. A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on. At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. The time is coming when they'll say, ‘Lucky the women who never conceived! Lucky the wombs that never gave birth! Lucky the breasts that never gave milk!' Then they'll start calling to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!' calling to the hills, ‘Cover us up!' If people do these things to a live, green tree, can you imagine what they'll do with deadwood?" Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution. When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, "He saved others. Let's see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!" The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: "So you're King of the Jews! Save yourself!" Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews . One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: "Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!" But the other one made him shut up: "Have you no fear of God? You're getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom." He said, "Don't worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise." By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, "Father, I place my life in your hands!" Then he breathed his last. When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: "This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!" All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief and headed home. Those who knew Jesus well, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a respectful distance and kept vigil. There was a man by the name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a man of good heart and good character. He had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea. He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Taking him down, he wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb chiseled into the rock, a tomb never yet used. It was the day before Sabbath, the Sabbath just about to begin. The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus' body was placed. Then they went back to prepare burial spices and perfumes. They rested quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded. ¹⁷Pilate Then they all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, "We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King." Pilate asked him, "Is this true that you're ‘King of the Jews'?" "Those are your words, not mine," Jesus replied. Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, "I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me." But they were vehement. "He's stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He's a dangerous man, endangering the peace." When Pilate heard that, he asked, "So, he's a Galilean?" Realizing that he properly came under Herod's jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days. Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he'd heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular. He peppered him with questions. Jesus didn't answer—not one word. But the high priests and religion scholars were right there, saying their piece, strident and shrill in their accusations. Mightily offended, Herod turned on Jesus. His soldiers joined in, taunting and jeering. Then they dressed him up in an elaborate king costume and sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became thick as thieves. Always before they had kept their distance. Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, "You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It's clear that he's done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go." ¹⁸At that, the crowd went wild: "Kill him! Give us Barabbas!" (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again. ²¹ But they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!" ²² He tried a third time. "But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go." ²³But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Why: Luke 23:14, Luke 23:20, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 3:18

I will: Luke 23:16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:32 - what hath Matthew 27:4 - the innocent Acts 23:9 - We Hebrews 7:26 - holy

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them the third time,.... After Christ had been sent back to him from Herod; for he had declared before he had sent him to him, that he found no fault in him, John 18:38.

Why, what evil hath he done? what capital crime has he committed? is he guilty of murder? or sedition? or blasphemy? or robbery, and theft? or any other enormous a crime?

I have found no cause of death in him; why he should be put to death at all; and much less to this shameful and painful death of the cross, which was the punishment of slaves, and of the vilest of men, which they were desirous of:

I will therefore chastise him, and let him go; this he said, not as if he was determined to do it, whether they liked it, or not; but as signifying what he willed, or chose, and hoped they would be contented with, that he should be scourged, or beaten, and dismissed, as he at first proposed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 27:20-23.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 23:22. I have found no cause of death in him — I find no crime worthy of death in him. There is nothing proved against him that can at all justify me in putting him to death, So here our blessed Lord was in the most formal manner justified by his judge. Now as this decision was publicly known, and perhaps registered, it is evident that Christ died as an innocent person, and not as a malefactor. On the fullest conviction of his innocence, his judge pronounced him guiltless, after having patiently heard every thing that the inventive malice of these wicked men could allege against him; and, when he wished to dismiss him, a violent mob took and murdered him.