Bible Strands
John 18:40
“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The crowd addresses Pilate at the Passover prisoner release moment, rejecting Jesus and demanding Barabbas instead.
The words — ἐκραύγασαν (ekraugasan) means they cried out, and ἀλλὰ (alla) marks the direct contrast between rejecting Jesus and demanding Barabbas.
The thread — The crowd’s choice runs through Matthew 27:16, which identifies Barabbas as a notorious prisoner, and Mark 15:7, which notes he was imprisoned with rebels who committed murder.
Why it lands — The text records the crowd actively choosing a violent insurrectionist over an innocent man, requiring the reader to confront what they prioritize when forced to make a choice.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
Cross-references
- Matthew 27:16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
- Matthew 27:26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Mark 15:7 And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.
- Mark 15:15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
- Luke 23:18 But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
- Luke 23:25 As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.
- Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.