So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text emphasizes that Jesus was "received" by his accusers, not just taken. This subtle word choice echoes how his own people "received him not" earlier in John's Gospel, highlighting a tragic continuity of rejection. It shows how those who claimed God's promises ultimately refused the very Son of God sent to fulfill them.
So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Pilate washes his hands and declares his innocence, he ultimately yields to the crowd's demands, handing Jesus over to them for crucifixion. The Roman soldiers then take Jesus, not to be crucified by the Jewish leaders themselves, but to be led away by them to the place of execution.
Pilate washes his hands, claiming innocence. But does washing your hands truly absolve you when you still hand someone over to their death? This moment reveals a profound truth about responsibility and Jesus’s own agency.
Pilate, caught between the Jewish leaders' demands and his own fear of Caesar, tries to shift blame. He famously washes his hands, a symbolic act to declare his innocence (Matthew 27:24). Yet, the text here in John shows he still delivers Jesus over to them. This isn't a neutral act; it's a deliberate handing over for crucifixion.
But notice Jesus’s role. He isn’t passively dragged along. The Gospel of John has consistently portrayed Jesus as in control of the events surrounding his arrest and trial. Even in this moment of apparent helplessness, Jesus is walking towards his ultimate purpose, not being dragged unwillingly into something he cannot escape.
The word used for 'took' here isn't just about grabbing something. It carries a weight of acceptance, of receiving what's offered. How we 'receive' Jesus radically impacts our story.
The Greek word translated as 'took' in this verse carries a specific meaning: to receive something that is given or handed over. It’s not a forceful seizing, but an acceptance.
Think about the sweep of John’s Gospel:
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This verse shows the tragic reception of Jesus – not with joy and welcome, but with the intent to crucify him. It’s a stark contrast to how God intended him to be received.
Understand the original words
paradidōmi · Greek Verb
The act of handing over or surrendering a person to the authority or power of another, often implying an abandonment to judgment or execution. In the New Testament, it frequently describes the betrayal or legal transferring of Jesus into the hands of his enemies.
stauroō · Greek Verb
A Roman method of execution by nailing or binding a victim to a wooden cross until death occurred; it is the central instrument of Jesus’ atoning work for the sins of the world.
This moment marks the tragic culmination of Jesus' trial, where political expediency and religious fervor collided, leading to His execution by Roman soldiers under the direction of Jewish leaders.
c. AD 30— this verse
Pilate hands Jesus over for crucifixion
Following Jewish leaders' accusations and pressure, Roman Governor Pontius Pilate yields and hands Jesus over to the crowd for crucifixion, disclaiming personal responsibility.
c. AD 30
Jesus carries the crossbeam
Jesus is forced to carry the heavy horizontal beam (patibulum) of his cross outside Jerusalem to the execution site.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion at Golgotha
Jesus is nailed to the cross and raised between two criminals at Golgotha, the place of the skull, fulfilling prophecy.
c. AD 30
Jesus' final words and death
After enduring hours of suffering and speaking his last words, Jesus commends his spirit to the Father and dies.
c. AD 30
The temple veil tears
At the moment of Jesus' death, the thick curtain in the Jerusalem Temple, separating the Holy of Holies, tears from top to bottom.
This passage directly parallels John 19:16 by describing Pilate's act of handing Jesus over, emphasizing his attempt to absolve himself of responsibility before the crucifixion.
Mark 15:15Mark's account also shows Pilate delivering Jesus to be crucified, highlighting the pressure from the crowd and Pilate's capitulation, which mirrors the situation in John's Gospel.
Luke 23:25Luke's version focuses on Pilate granting the crowd's demand for Jesus' crucifixion, reinforcing the theme of Jesus being handed over to the will of wicked men.
Isaiah 53:7This prophetic passage describes the suffering servant being led like a lamb to slaughter, powerfully foreshadowing Jesus' silent submission to being handed over for crucifixion.
vincentJohn 19:16: "Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away."
DeliveredLuke says, delivered to their will (Luke 23:25). Pilate pronounced no sentence, but disclaimed all responsibility for the act, and delivered Christ up to them (αὐτοῖς), they having invoked the responsibility upon themselves. See Matthew 27:24, Matthew 27:25.And led Him awayThe best texts omit.
henryJohn 19:1-18: "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him."
19:1-18 Little did Pilate think with what holy regard these sufferings of Christ would, in after-ages, be thought upon and spoken of by the best and greatest of men. Our Lord Jesus came forth, willing to be exposed to their scorn. It is good for every one with faith, to behold Christ Jesus in his sufferings. Behold him, and love him; be still looking unto Jesus. Did their hatred sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall n…
The text emphasizes that Jesus was "received" by his accusers, not just taken. This subtle word choice echoes how his own people "received him not" earlier in John's Gospel, highlighting a tragic continuity of rejection. It shows how those who claimed God's promises ultimately refused the very Son of God sent to fulfill them.
After Pilate washes his hands and declares his innocence, he ultimately yields to the crowd's demands, handing Jesus over to them for crucifixion. The Roman soldiers then take Jesus, not to be crucified by the Jewish leaders themselves, but to be led away by them to the place of execution.
After Pilate washes his hands and declares his innocence, he ultimately yields to the crowd's demands, handing Jesus over to them for crucifixion. The Roman soldiers then take Jesus, not to be crucified by the Jewish leaders themselves, but to be led away by them to the place of execution.
"So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus," — The text emphasizes that Jesus was "received" by his accusers, not just taken. This subtle word choice echoes how his own people "received him not" earlier in John's Gospel, highlighting a tragic con…
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Last reviewed October 2026