Βαραββᾶς G0912
Barabbas — the insurrectionist prisoner whom the crowd chose to release instead of Jesus at the Passover
Βαραββᾶς (Barabbas), from Aramaic bar-Abba ('son of the father'), is the prisoner released by Pilate in place of Jesus at the Passover custom of freeing one prisoner. Mark and Luke identify him as one who had committed murder during an insurrection (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19, 25); Matthew calls him a 'notable prisoner' (Matt 27:16); John simply terms him a 'robber' (John 18:40). The narrative irony is profound: the crowd demands freedom for a man of violence while condemning the innocent Son of the Father. Some early manuscripts of Matthew 27:16-17 give his full name as 'Jesus Barabbas,' heightening the dramatic contrast. Spanish 'Barrabás' and French 'Barabbas' both transliterate the Aramaic patronymic.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Barabbas, the prisoner held by Rome for insurrection and murder, whom Pilate offered as an alternative to Jesus in the Passover amnesty (Matt 27:16-26; Mark 15:7-15; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:40). The crowd's choice to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus forms a pivotal moment in all four Passion narratives. His Aramaic name, bar-Abba ('son of the father'), creates a striking ironic parallel with Jesus, the true Son of the Father. Some manuscripts preserve the variant 'Jesus Barabbas' (Matt 27:16-17). Spanish 'Barrabás' and German 'Barabbas' transliterate directly. 11×
AR["بارَبّا", "بَرَابَا", "بَرَابَاسَ", "بَرَابَاسُ"]·ben["বরাব্বা", "বরাব্বাকে!", "বারাব্বা", "বারাব্বাকে"]·DE["Barabbas", "Βαραββᾶν"]·EN["Barabbas"]·FR["Barabbas"]·heb["בַּר-אַבָּא", "בַּר־אַבָּא"]·HI["बरअब्बास-को", "बरब्बा", "बरब्बा-को", "बरब्बास", "बराब्बास"]·ID["Barabas"]·IT["Barabba"]·jav["Barabas", "Barabas!", "Barabas,", "Barabas.", "Barabas;"]·KO["바라바", "바라바-는", "바라바-를", "바라바가", "바라바를"]·PT["Barrabás"]·RU["Варавва", "Варавву", "Варавву!"]·ES["Barabbân", "Barabbâs"]·SW["Barabbas", "Barábbas"]·TR["Barabas", "Barabas'ı", "Barabbas", "Barabbas'ı", "Barabbas’ı", "Barabbayı"]·urd["برابا", "برابا کو", "براباس", "براباس-کو", "برابّا", "برابّا-کو"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Βαραββᾶς, -ᾶ, ὁ (Aram. בַּר־אַבָּא, lit., son of a father, i.e. accusative to Jerome, filius magistri), Barabbas: Mat.27:16, 17 20, 21, 26, Mrk.15:7, 11 15, Luk.23:18, Jhn.18:40. (In Mat.27:16, some MSS. read Ἰησοῦν Β.; see WH, App., 19f.).† (From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)