Luke Chapter 23 verse 17 Holy Bible

ASV Luke 23:17

`Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner.'
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BBE Luke 23:17

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DARBY Luke 23:17

( Now he was obliged to release one for them at the feast.)
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KJV Luke 23:17

(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
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WBT Luke 23:17


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WEB Luke 23:17

Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.
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YLT Luke 23:17

for it was necessary for him to release to them one at every feast,
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) Probably, however, before the scourging was inflicted, the attempt to liberate Jesus in accordance with a custom belonging to that feast was made by Pilate. We know it failed, and a condemned robber called Barabbas was preferred by the people. The more ancient authorities omit this verse (17). It probably was introduced at an early period into many manuscripts of St. Luke as a marginal. gloss, as an explanatory statement based on the words of Matthew 27:15 or of Mark 15:6. As a Hebrew custom, it is never mentioned save in this place. Such a release was a common incident of a Latin Lectisternium, or feast in honour of the gods. The Greeks had a similar custom at the Thesmophoria. It was probably introduced at Jerusalem by the Roman power.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) For of necessity he must release one unto them.--Literally, he had a necessity. The better MSS. are singularly divided as to this verse. Most omit it altogether. One, followed by some of the versions, has it after Luke 23:19. It would seem probable from these facts that the narrative was originally written without it, that it was then felt that the release of Barabbas required an explanation, and that a note was first added in the margin, either by a transcriber or by the writer himself in a duplicate copy, and then found its way into the text. The precise form of the phrase, to "have a necessity," is not found in the other Gospels, but is common to St. Luke (Luke 11:18 and here), and St. Paul (1Corinthians 7:37). It is found also in Hebrews 7:27; Jude Luke 23:3. On the practice thus described, see Note on Matthew 27:15. . . .