New King James Version
Matthew 27:24
24When 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”
Context of Matthew 27:24
22Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” 23Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” 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.” 25And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” 26Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him 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 to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.
- Job 9:30If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap,
- Psalms 26:6I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
- Jeremiah 2:27Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble They will say, ‘Arise and save us.’
- Matthew 27:4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
- John 19:4Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”
- Acts 3:14But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
- 2 Corinthians 5:21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- 1 Peter 3:18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries