18:31a

You take Him and judge Him by your own law: The high priest and the council members did not tell Pilate that Jesus had disobeyed a Roman law. Pilate was only responsible for punishing those who disobeyed Roman law. If Jesus disobeyed a Jewish law, the high priest was the one who would punish him. So Pilate wants the Jews to take Jesus.

You take Him: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as You take Him indicates that Pilate wanted the Jewish authorities to take responsibility for Jesus. He wanted them to lead Jesus away as their prisoner. The Greek text emphasizes You. Here is a way to translate that emphasis:

Then you yourselves take him and try him according to your own law. (Good News Translation)

In some languages it may be necessary to say where Pilate wanted them to take Jesus. For example:

take him away (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Take/Lead him ⌊to your court/judge⌋

judge Him by your own law: Pilate said that the Jews should put Jesus on trial and punish him according to (based on) their own law. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

try him by your own law (Revised English Bible)
-or-
pass judgment on him according to your own law (NET Bible)
-or-
judge what should be done to him using your own laws to decide (TH)

your own law: This phrase refers to the laws of the Jews. Religious offenses could be judged by Jewish law. That law was based on the books of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament. Because the law contained many laws, it may be natural to use a plural noun. For example:

your laws (Contemporary English Version)

Pilate told them: In the Greek there is a conjunction that is often translated as “so” or “therefore.” It shows that Pilate said this because of the Jewish leaders’ reply. The Berean Standard Bible and many other translations leave this implied. Translate this conjunction in whatever way is most natural in your language. For example:

So Pilate said to them (New American Standard Bible)
-or-

Then Pilate told them

18:31b

We are not permitted to execute anyone: The Jewish authorities were not permitted to punish anyone by killing them. The Roman government did not allow them to give the death penalty.

We are not permitted: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as We are not permitted is more literally “it is not permitted/lawful for us.” Roman law did not allow the Jews to execute (punish with death) anyone, at least without receiving special permission. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

We cannot legally put anyone to death (NET Bible)
-or-
But we are not allowed to put anyone to death (New Century Version)
-or-
Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊Rome⌋ does not allow us to punish anyone with death

We: This pronoun is exclusive here and refers to the Jews, but not to Pilate. Pilate was a Roman, not a Jew.

to execute anyone: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to execute means “to kill” but refers to the government right to kill criminals. For example:

to punish a person with death

the Jews replied: The Jewish authorities who had brought Jesus to Pilate now answered him. The Greek more literally says “the Jews said to him.” Refer to Pilate and Jesus’ accusers in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

The Jewish leaders replied (NET Bible)
-or-
The Jews said to him (English Standard Version)
-or-
The Jews answered him (God’s Word)

General Comment on 18:31b

In some languages it may be natural to make it explicit that the speakers were Jewish in what they said. Then they would say, “We Jews.” It may then be natural to leave it implicit in the quote introducer. For example:

⌊Jesus’ accusers/opponents⌋ said, “We (excl.) ⌊Jews⌋ are not permitted to execute anyone.”

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