19:16a
Then: The Greek more literally says “Therefore then.” Pilate listened to what the angry crowd said and agreed to do what they demanded. The Greek word usually translated “Therefore” probably indicates a significant development here: Pilate’s decision to crucify Jesus.
Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified: Pilate told the soldiers to take Jesus and crucify him.
Pilate: The word the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pilate is the Greek pronoun “he.” In some languages it may be natural to use the Greek wording.
handed…over: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as handed…over indicates that Pilate did what the angry crowd wanted. Pilate gave the soldiers authority over Jesus so that they could crucify him.
The Greek contains the phrase “to them” to indicate to whom Jesus was handed over. Who “them” refers to is ambiguous. The last plural noun is “chief priests” in 19:15c. However, Jews did not have the authority to crucify anyone and it was the Roman soldiers who took and crucified him. The meaning here then seems to be, “Pilate gave Jesus to the soldiers to satisfy the demands of the Jews.” Because the pronoun is ambiguous in Greek and all English translations, it is recommended that you leave it ambiguous. Here is another way to translate this entire clause:
Then at last, to satisfy them, he handed Jesus over to be crucified. (Revised English Bible)
to be crucified: This verb phrase is passive. There are several ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
to be nailed to a cross (Contemporary English Version)
• Use an active verb. For example:
to kill Jesus by nailing him to a cross
• Use a noun. For example:
for crucifixion (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
for punishment on a cross
For more information on the meaning of the term crucified see the note in 19:6c.
Section 19:16b–27
Soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross
This section describes how the soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross to die. Pilate ordered that they put a sign on the cross saying that Jesus was the King of the Jews. The chief priests complained to Pilate, but he did not change it. While Jesus was dying, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves. Also, Jesus gave his mother into the care of the disciple whom he loved.
Here are other possible titles for this section:
Jesus’ enemies crucified him
-or-
Jesus on the cross
-or-
The crucifixion of Jesus
Paragraph 19:16b–22
The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross to die. Pilate wrote a sign announcing that he was the King of the Jews. The high priests complained about this sign, but Pilate did not change it.
19:16b
and the soldiers took Him away: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took…away indicates that the soldiers took charge of Jesus and led him away. For example:
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. (New International Version)
-or-
Then/therefore the soldiers led Jesus away
and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and here introduces the result of what Pilate did in the previous sentence, 19:16a. Pilate handed Jesus over to be nailed on a cross, and the soldiers now took him to do that.
the soldiers: This pronoun refers to the Roman soldiers. It may be natural to make this explicit:
the soldiers took Jesus (God’s Word)
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