And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pilate's question, "Why? What evil has he done?" isn't just a check for evidence; it's a desperate plea highlighting the total lack of wrongdoing he found in Jesus. The crowd's deafening shout for crucifixion in response reveals their complete rejection of reason and justice, driven by something far more potent than any actual crime.
And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pilate, a Roman governor, is presiding over Jesus' trial, and despite finding no wrongdoing in him and even attempting to appease the crowd by offering them a choice between Jesus and the notorious criminal Barabbas, he faces relentless pressure. The religious leaders and the crowd, fueled by envy and a thirst for Jesus' death, reject Barabbas and vehemently demand Jesus' crucifixion, drowning out Pilate's pleas for justice and his pronouncements of Jesus' innocence.
Pilate, the judge, asks a simple question: 'Why? What evil has he done?' Yet, the crowd's response is a deafening roar demanding crucifixion. What does this stark contrast reveal?
Pilate, representing Roman law and even a flicker of conscience (influenced by his wife's dream), clearly found no fault in Jesus. He asks for a reason, a crime, evidence – but none is offered. The gospel writers emphasize this: Jesus is innocent. Yet, the religious leaders and the manipulated crowd don't engage with the question of guilt. Their demand isn't based on justice, but on their own agenda. This highlights a profound spiritual truth: sometimes, the loudest voices clamoring for condemnation are those that reject truth and righteousness, not because of genuine wrongdoing, but out of envy or a desire to maintain their own power.
Pilate's question is logical, seeking a crime to justify punishment. But the crowd's response isn't logical; it's a surge of raw emotion and demand. What fuels this unreasoning fury?
The passage shows that the crowd, stirred up by the chief priests and elders, didn't need evidence. Pilate’s attempts to reason with them, even offering to scourge Jesus and let him go, only intensified their rage. They had chosen their path – Barabbas over Jesus. This wasn't a fair trial; it was a mob driven by manipulation and deep-seated animosity. They preferred a known rebel and murderer to the Son of God. It demonstrates how easily people can be swayed by powerful leaders and popular opinion, even to the point of demanding the death of an innocent person. This 'rage' isn't about justice; it's about power and the suppression of a truth that threatens their status quo.
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Understand the original words
kakos · Greek Adjective/Noun
General term for moral wickedness, malice, or depravity, often used in legal settings to denote a crime worthy of punishment.
The verse highlights the dramatic tension between Pilate's recognition of Jesus' innocence and the crowd's unyielding, politically charged demand for crucifixion, revealing the deep animosity of the religious elite and the volatile nature of the populace under Roman rule.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry and Growing Opposition
Jesus' teachings and miracles gained a large following but also drew increasing hostility from religious leaders who saw him as a threat to their authority and the established order.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Arrest and Trial
Jesus is arrested, tried by Jewish authorities, and brought before the Roman prefect, Pontius Pilate, on charges of sedition.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Pilate's Attempt to Release Jesus
Under Roman law and custom, Pilate offered the crowd a choice between releasing Jesus or Barabbas, a known insurrectionist and murderer. He repeatedly questioned Jesus' guilt, finding no fault in him.
c. AD 30-33
The Crowd Demands Crucifixion
Incited by the chief priests and elders, the crowd vehemently demanded Jesus' crucifixion, rejecting Pilate's attempts to appease them or release Jesus.
c. AD 30-33
Pilate Cedes to the Crowd
Fearing a riot and pressure from the crowd and chief priests, Pilate ultimately handed Jesus over to be crucified, despite his own conviction of Jesus' innocence.
c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Jewish rejection of Jesus and the ensuing rebellion against Rome led to the brutal destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Roman forces.
This passage shows Pilate's own declaration of Jesus' innocence ('I find no guilt in him'), directly mirroring his question in Matthew 27:23 and highlighting the unjust pressure Pilate faced.
Luke 23:13-16Luke details Pilate sending Jesus to Herod and then back again, emphasizing the efforts made by the authorities to avoid condemning an innocent man, which makes the crowd's demand in Matthew 27:23 even more stark.
Acts 3:14Peter directly accuses the crowd and their rulers of denying and rejecting the 'Holy and Righteous One,' echoing Pilate's question and highlighting their culpability for demanding Jesus' crucifixion.
1 Peter 2:22This verse states that Jesus 'committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth,' directly confirming Pilate's question in Matthew 27:23 and underscoring Jesus' perfect innocence despite his condemnation.
Isaiah 53:9This prophecy foretells that the suffering Servant 'would make his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth,' aligning with the injustice of Jesus being condemned while being declared innocent.
henryMatthew 27:11-25: "And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest."
27:11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own conscience…
gillMatthew 27:23: "And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified."
And the governor said, why, what evil hath he done?.... What reason can be given, why he should be crucified? what sin has he committed, that deserves such a death? From whence it is clear, that of all the things they had accused him, they had not, in Pilate's account, given proof of one single action, that was criminal, nor had he done any: he came into the world with…
Pilate's question, "Why? What evil has he done?" isn't just a check for evidence; it's a desperate plea highlighting the total lack of wrongdoing he found in Jesus. The crowd's deafening shout for crucifixion in response reveals their complete rejection of reason and justice, driven by something far more potent than any actual crime.
Pilate, a Roman governor, is presiding over Jesus' trial, and despite finding no wrongdoing in him and even attempting to appease the crowd by offering them a choice between Jesus and the notorious criminal Barabbas, he faces relentless pressure. The religious leaders and the crowd, fueled by envy and a thirst for Jesus' death, reject Barabbas and vehemently demand Jesus' crucifixion, drowning out Pilate's pleas for justice and his pronouncements of Jesus' innocence.
Pilate, a Roman governor, is presiding over Jesus' trial, and despite finding no wrongdoing in him and even attempting to appease the crowd by offering them a choice between Jesus and the notorious criminal Barabbas, he faces relentless pressure. The religious leaders and the crowd, fueled by envy and a thirst for Jesus' death, reject Barabbas and vehemently demand Jesus' crucifixion, drowning out Pilate's pleas for justice and his pronouncements of Jesus' innocence.
"And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”" — Pilate's question, "Why? What evil has he done?" isn't just a check for evidence; it's a desperate plea highlighting the total lack of wrongdoing he found in Jesus. The crowd's deafening shout for cr…
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Last reviewed October 2026