This is the first mention of Pilate in the Gospel of John. The author presumes that Pilate is known to his readers, so he does not identify him further. He was the governor of Judea A.D. 26-36; a good deal is known about him from Jewish sources, most of which is unfavorable. In translation it may be necessary to identify him specifically as the governor the first time he is mentioned. Accordingly one may translate the first part of this verse “so Governor Pilate went outside to them” or “so Pilate, who was the governor, went outside to them.”

Only John mentions that Pilate went outside to the Jews. The constant movement of Pilate in and out of the building is a feature of the Johannine account.

And asked is literally “and says,” but a question is involved, and so Good News Translation uses a more specific verb.

The term accused may be translated in some languages only by making specific what is involved, for example, “What bad thing do you say this man did?” or “What wrong do you say this man did?” or “Do you say, This man did something bad?”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .