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Barabbas
People in the Bible

New Testament · Major figure

Barabbas

A prisoner released by Pilate in place of Jesus during the trial before the crucifixion.

Barabbas was an insurrectionist and murderer held by Roman authorities in Jerusalem. His release in exchange for Jesus highlights the irony of the crowd choosing a guilty criminal over the innocent Messiah. This event fulfills the substitutionary theme of the Passion narrative as the guilty man goes free while the sinless Christ faces death.

In the text

Verses
10
Books
4
First appears
Matthew 27:16
Last appears
John 18:40

Where Barabbas appears

10 verses · 4 chapters
  1. Matthew 27Verses 16–17, 20–21, 26
  2. Mark 15Verses 7, 11, 15
  3. Luke 23Verse 18
  4. John 18Verse 40

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