Pilate
Πιλᾶτος · Pilatos · G4091Πόντιος · Pontios · G4194“armed with a dart” Hitchcock's 186953 mentions in 6 books, most in John (19)
Who he was
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor (prefect) of Judea during the time of Jesus' ministry and crucifixion (Luke 3:1). He is most known for his role in the trial and execution of Jesus, as recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 18-19).
When Jesus was brought before Pilate by the Jewish leaders, who accused him of claiming to be the king of the Jews, Pilate questioned Jesus and found no fault in him (John 18:29–38). However, faced with the insistence of the Jewish leaders and the growing crowd, Pilate ultimately gave in to their demands and ordered Jesus to be crucified (Matthew 27:24; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:24; John 19:16).
Pilate is portrayed as a reluctant participant in Jesus' death, attempting to release him but ultimately succumbing to political pressure (John 19:12). He is also depicted as a somewhat cynical and world-weary figure, as seen in his famous question to Jesus, "What is truth?" (John 18:38).
Pilate's involvement in Jesus' crucifixion is also mentioned in the Book of Acts, where the early Christian leaders affirm that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Act.3.13; 4.27; 13.28). In 1 Timothy 6:13, Paul refers to Jesus' good confession before Pontius Pilate.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
53 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Matthew8 mentions
Matthew 27:2They bound him, led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.Matthew 27:13Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they testify against you?”Matthew 27:17When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”Matthew 27:22Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do to Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let him be crucified!”Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood…Matthew 27:58This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.Matthew 27:62Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,Matthew 27:65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
Mark10 mentions
Mark 15:1Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.Mark 15:2Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered, “So you say.”Mark 15:4Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!”Mark 15:5But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.Mark 15:9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”Mark 15:12Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”Mark 15:14Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”Mark 15:15Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.Mark 15:43Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.Mark 15:44Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long.
Luke12 mentions
Luke 3:1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of…Luke 13:1Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.Luke 23:1The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.Luke 23:3Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “So you say.”Luke 23:4Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”Luke 23:6But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean.Luke 23:11Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate.Luke 23:12Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.Luke 23:13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,Luke 23:20Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,Luke 23:24Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done.Luke 23:52This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
John19 mentions
John 18:29Pilate therefore went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”John 18:31Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is illegal for us to put anyone to death,”John 18:33Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”John 18:35Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”John 18:37Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I…John 18:38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.John 19:1So Pilate then took Jesus and flogged him.John 19:4Then Pilate went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”John 19:6When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no basis for a…John 19:8When therefore Pilate heard this saying, he was more afraid.John 19:10Pilate therefore said to him, “Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you and have power to crucify you?”John 19:12At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”John 19:13When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called “The Pavement”, but in Hebrew, “Gabbatha.”John 19:15They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”John 19:19Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”John 19:21The chief priests of the Jews therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘he said, “I am King of the Jews.”’”John 19:22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”John 19:31Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs…John 19:38After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He…
Acts3 mentions
Acts 3:13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release…Acts 4:27“For truly, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,Acts 13:28Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
What the dictionary says
(armed with a spear), Pontius.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain