30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
30 "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."
30 They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you."
30 They said, "If he hadn't been doing something evil, do you think we'd be here bothering you?"
30 They answered and said to him, "If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you."
30 "We wouldn't have handed him over to you if he weren't a criminal!" they retorted.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 18:30
Commentary on John 18:28-32
(Read John 18:28-32)
It was unjust to put one to death who had done so much good, therefore the Jews were willing to save themselves from reproach. Many fear the scandal of an ill thing, more than the sin of it. Christ had said he should be delivered to the Gentiles, and they should put him to death; hereby that saying was fulfilled. He had said that he should be crucified, lifted up. If the Jews had judged him by their law, he had been stoned; crucifying never was used among the Jews. It is determined concerning us, though not discovered to us, what death we shall die: this should free us from disquiet about that matter. Lord, what, when, and how, thou hast appointed.