“Now a man
Called Barabbas
Was in prison
With rebels,
Who had committed murder
During an insurrection.”
ἦν δὲ ὁ λεγόμενος Βαραββᾶς μετὰ τῶν στασιαστῶν δεδεμένος, οἵτινες ἐν τῇ στάσει φόνον πεποιήκεισαν.
This is something like this in Matthew, chapter 27:16. Luke, chapter 23:18-19, also talked about Barabbas as a rebel who had murdered somebody. In John, chapter 18:40, Barabbas was simply called a bandit. Matthew called Barabbas a notorious prisoner without any indication of what he had done. A few manuscripts called him Jesus Barabbas (Ἰησοῦν Βαραββᾶν). Barabbas in Aramaic meant son of the father. Thus, there may have been some attempt to relate Jesus to Barabbas. Mark said that there was a man called Barabbas (ἦν δὲ ὁ λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν), who had been captured with some rebels (μετὰ τῶν στασιαστῶν δεδεμένος). Barabbas had committed murder in an insurrection (οἵτινες ἐν τῇ στάσει φόνον πεποιήκεισαν), not a likely candidate for parole. Would you release a murderer?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 