John 18:30

They answered him, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

They answered him, “If this man weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have delivered him up to you.”

BSB

“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”

KJV

They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

ASV

They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee.

BBE

They said to him in answer, If the man was not a wrongdoer we would not have given him up to you.

Original Greek

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The early church

What then say they? "If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee." O madness! for why do ye not mention His evil deeds, instead of concealing them? Why do ye not prove the evil?
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
(de Cons. Evang. iii. 8) But is not this account contradictory to Luke's, who mentions certain positive charges: And they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King. (Luke 23:2) According to John, the Jews seem to have been unwilling to bring actual charges, in order that Pilate might condemn Him simply on their authority, asking no questions, but taking it for granted that if He was delivered up to him, He was certainly guilty. Both accounts are however compatible. Each Evangelist only inserts what he thinks sufficient. And John's account implies that some charges had been made, when it comes to Pilate's answer: Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye Him, and judge Him according to your law.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 28–32

It was unjust to put one to death who had done so much good, therefore the Jews were willing to save themselves from reproach. Many fear the scandal of an ill thing, more than the sin of it. Christ had said he should be delivered to the Gentiles, and they should put him to death; hereby that saying was fulfilled. He had said that he should be crucified, lifted up. If the Jews had judged him by their law, he had been stoned; crucifying never was used among the Jews. It is determined concerning us, though not discovered to us, what death we shall die: this should free us from disquiet about that matter. Lord, what, when, and how, thou hast appointed.

Read Matthew Henry on John 18 →

Cross-references

7

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.