Matthew 27 · Verse 26

Matthew 27:26

Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Matthew 27:26, King James Version

Matthew 27:26 in other translations

BSBSo Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
WEBThen he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
ASVThen released he unto them Barabbas; but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.
YLTThen did he release to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him up that he may be crucified;
DARBYThen he released to them Barabbas; but Jesus, having scourged him, he delivered up that he might be crucified.
BBEThen he let Barabbas go free: but after having Jesus whipped, he gave him up to be put to death on the cross.
WebsterThen he released Barabbas to them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

What does Matthew 27:26 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. And when he had scourged Jesus. Mt 10:17. Among the Romans, it was customary to scourge, or whip, a slave before he was crucified. This was done to inflict a greater suffering than crucifixion would be alone; and to add to the horrors of the punishment. Our Lord, being about to be put to death, after the manner of a slave, was also treated as a slave; as one of the lowest and most despised of mankind,

He delivered him, etc. Not merely he gave him up to them to crucify him, as if they only were answerable, but he gave him up as a judge when he ought to have saved his life, and might have done it. Crucifixion was a Roman punishment; it was performed by Roman soldiers; Pilate pronounced the sentence from the tribunal, and Pilate affixed the title to the cross. Pilate, therefore, as well as the Jews, was answerable to God for the death of the Saviour of the world.

(z) "scourged Jesus" Isa 53:5, Lk 18:33

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 Scourged Jesus - This is allowed to have been a very severe punishment of itself among the Romans, the flesh being generally cut by the whips used for this purpose: so the poet: - - Horribili Sectere flagello. "To be cut by the horrible whip." Hor. Sat. I. 3. 119. And sometimes it seems, they were whipped to death. See the same poet, Sat. I. 2. 41. - Ille Flagellis Ad Mortem caesus See also Horat. Epod. od. iv. v. 11. It has been thought that Pilate might have spared this additional cruelty of whipping; but it appears that it was a common custom to scourge those criminals which were to be crucified, (see Josephus De Bello, lib. ii. c. 25), and lenity in Christ's case is not to be allowed; he must take all the misery in full tale. Delivered him to be crucified - Tacitus, the Roman historian, mentions the death of Christ in very remarkable terms: - Nero - quaesitissimis poenis is affecit, quos - vulgus Christianos appellabat. Auctor nominis ejus Christus, qui Tiberio imperitante, per Procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat. - "Nero put those who commonly went by the name of Christians to the most exquisite tortures. The author of this name was Christ, who was capitally punished in the reign of Tiberius, by Pontius Pilate the Procurator."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 27:26-30
Crucifixion was a death used only among the Romans; it was very terrible and miserable. A cross was laid on the ground, to which the hands and feet were nailed, it was then lifted up and fixed upright, so that the weight of the body hung on the nails, till the sufferer died in agony. Christ thus answered the type of the brazen serpent raised on a pole. Christ underwent all the misery and shame here related, that he might purchase for us everlasting life, and joy, and glory.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 27:26 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τότεtoteThenG5119
ἀπέλυσενapelusenhe releasedG630
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
τὸνton<the>G3588
Βαραββᾶν·BarabbanBarabbas;G912
τὸνton<the>G3588
δὲdeandG1161
ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424
φραγελλώσαςphragellōsashaving floggedG5417
παρέδωκενparedōkenHe delivered up [Him]G3860
ἵναinathatG2443
σταυρωθῇ.¶staurōthēaHe may be crucified.G4717

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 27:26

  • Isaiah 53:5

    But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

  • John 19:1

    Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 50:6

    I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

  • Luke 23:16

    I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

  • Mark 10:34

    And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • Luke 23:24-25

    And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

  • Matthew 20:19

    And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

  • Luke 18:32-33

    For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

  • John 19:16

    Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
released.
Mr 15:15; Lu 23:25
scourged.This of itself was a severe punishment, the flesh being generally cut by the whips used for this purpose.
20:19; Isa 50:6; 53:5; Mr 10:34; Lu 18:32,33; 23:16,24,25
Joh 19:1,16; 1Pe 2:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 27:25

    Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

  • Matthew 27:26

    Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

  • Matthew 27:27

    Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

Read all of Matthew 27

Matthew 27:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces les soltó á Barrabás: y habiendo azotado á Jesús, le entregó para ser crucificado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors il leur relâcha Barabbas; et ayant fait fouetter Jésus, il le livra pour être crucifié.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Alsdann gab er ihnen den Barabbas los; Jesum aber, nachdem er ihn gegeißelt hatte, überlieferte er, auf daß er gekreuzigt würde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc dimisit illis Barabbam: Jesum autem flagellatum tradidit eis ut crucifigeretur.