Luke 23:18

Luke 23:18, in plain English

The whole crowd shouts with one voice: 'Get rid of Him! Give us Barabbas!' They choose a murderer over Jesus. The injustice is staggering.

Why it's here

At the festival celebrating God's rescue, the people reject God's Rescuer and choose a violent criminal instead.

Who's speaking

The crowd speaks as one, making a choice that will echo through history — rejecting innocence and embracing violence.

Where it sits in the story

Listen to what's happening: an entire crowd chooses a murderer over the Son of God. During Passover — the celebration of God saving His people. The irony is heartbreaking. They ask for the life of a killer and demand the death of the giver of life.

The scholarly reading

The crowd cries out pamplēthei (all together/with one voice): 'Aire touton, apoluson de hēmin ton Barabban' (Away with this man, release to us Barabbas). The collective demand replaces a judicial verdict with mob rule.

Language and setting

The crowd's unified cry for Barabbas represents the complete inversion of justice: they choose a violent insurrectionist and murderer over the innocent Jesus, the true Deliverer.

Voice

The crowd speaks with one voice, demanding Jesus' removal and Barabbas' release in a devastating act of collective rejection.

Significance

The crowd chooses Barabbas. The irony is almost unbearable: they prefer a man who took lives to the man who gives life, a violent rebel to the Prince of Peace. At Passover — the celebration of God's deliverance — they reject God's ultimate Deliverer.

16Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”

18But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”

19(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,

Read all of Luke 23 — Pilate finds no fault. Herod finds entertainment. The crowd demands blood. And on a cross between two criminals, Jesus forgives.