23:18a

But they all cried out in unison: The phrase they all cried out in unison indicates that the people shouted together the same thing. Here is another way to translate this:

But there was a general outcry. (Revised English Bible)

they: The word they probably refers back to “the chief priests, the rulers, and the people” in 23:13. Refer back to them here in a natural way in your language. Other ways to refer back to them are:

the crowd and their leaders
-or-
the people (New Century Version)

Away with this man: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Away with this man is more literally “take away this one.” In this context it is used as an idiom to mean “Get rid of this man!” or “Kill this man!”

Some ways to translate the idiom are:

• Translate the meaning of the idiom. For example:

Kill him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Execute him

• Translate the Greek idiom literally and give the meaning. For example:

Take this man away ⌊and kill him⌋!

• Use an idiom from your language that means “kill him” or “execute him.”

• Translate the meaning of the idiom in a clear and natural way in your language.

this man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man literally means “this one.” Here it was a disrespectful way to refer to Jesus. It is good to use an expression in your language that also implies disrespect.

23:18b

Release Barabbas to us: Some background information is implied here. At the time when Pilate was governor of Judea, there was a custom that he must release one of the Jewish prisoners during the time of the Passover festival. When the Jewish people said, Release Barabbas to us, they were asking Pilate to fulfill that custom by setting Barabbas free instead of Jesus.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Set Barabbas free for us! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Barabbas is the one we want you to release!
-or-

⌊Instead of him,⌋ we want Barabbas to be freed!

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