New English Translation
Matthew 27:24
24When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”
Matthew 27:24 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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!”
- English Standard Version (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."
- New King James Version (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.”
Context of Matthew 27:24
22Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!” 23He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” 25In reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 26Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
Read all of Matthew 27Matthew 27:24 word by word
Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Πιλᾶτος ὅτι οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον θόρυβος γίνεται, λαβὼν ὕδωρ ἀπενίψατο τὰς χεῖρας ἀπέναντι τοῦ ὄχλου λέγων· ἀθῷός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τούτου· ὑμεῖς ὄψεσθε.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whenδέde · thenG1161
- Pilateὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PilateΠιλᾶτοςPilatos · PilateG4091
- sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- he could prevailὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
- nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
- a tumultθόρυβοςthorubos · commotionG2351
- was madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- he tookλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- and washedἀπονίπτωaponiptō · to wash offG633
- handsχείρcheir · handG5495
- beforeἀπέναντιapenanti · oppositeG561
- the multitudeὄχλοςochlos · crowdG3793
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- innocentἀθῷοςathōos · innocentG121
- ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
- of thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- just personδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- yeσύsu · youG4771
Cross-references for Matthew 27:24
- Deuteronomy 21:6and all the elders of that city nearest the corpse must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
- Job 9:30If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye,
- Psalms 26:6I maintain a pure lifestyle, so I can appear before your altar, O Lord,
- Jeremiah 2:27They say to a wooden idol, ‘You are my father.’ They say to a stone image, ‘You gave birth to me.’ Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
- Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”
- John 19:4Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation against him.”
- Acts 3:14But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
- 1 Peter 3:18Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit.
Commentaries on Matthew 27:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Pilate - took water, and washed his hands - Thus signifying his innocence. It was a custom among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins, to wash the hands in token of innocence, and to show that they were pure from any imputed guilt. In case of an undiscovered murder, the elders of that city which was nearest to the place where the dead body was found, were required by the law, Deuteronomy 21:1-10, to wash their hands over the victim which was offered to expiate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24He took water - The Jews were accustomed to wash their hands when they wished to show that they were innocent of a crime committed by others. See Deuteronomy 21:6; Psalm 26:6. Pilate, in doing this, meant to denote that they were guilty of his death, but that he was innocent. But the mere washing of his hands did not free him from guilt. He was “bound” as a magistrate to free an innocent man; and whatever might be the clamour of the Jews, “he” was…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-25Verses 11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24You bear the responsibility: The priests told Judas the same thing (Matthew 27:4).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 27:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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