And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified.

And the governor said, 'Why, what evil did he?' and they were crying out the more, saying, 'Let be crucified.'

"Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they kept on furiously shouting, "Let him be crucified!"

And he said, Why, what evil has he done? But they gave loud cries, saying, To the cross with him!

But he said, 'Why? What evil has he done?' But they shouted all the louder, saying, 'Let him be crucified.'

The procurator said to them, "But what evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more, saying, "Let him be crucified."

"Why, what harm has he done?" he asked. But they kept shouting furiously, "Crucify him!"

And the governor said, Why? - Luke informs us that Pilate put this question to them "three times," so anxious was he to release him.
He affirmed that he had found no cause of death in him. He said, therefore, that he would chastise him and let him go. He expected, probably, by causing him to be publicly whipped, to excite their compassion, to satisfy "them," and thus to evade the demands of the priests, and to set him at liberty with the consent of the people. So weak and irresolute was this Roman governor! Satisfied of his innocence, he should at once have preferred "justice to popularity," and acted as became a magistrate in acquitting the innocent.
Let him be crucified - See the notes at Matthew 27:39. Luke says they were instant with loud voices demanding this. They urged it. They demanded it with a popular clamor.

What evil hath he done? - Pilate plainly saw that there was nothing laid to his charge for which, consistently with the Roman laws, he could condemn him.
But they cried out the more - What strange fury and injustice! They could not answer Pilate's question, What evil hath he done? He had done none, and they knew he had done none; but they are determined on his death.

And the governor said, why, what evil hath he done?.... What reason can be given, why he should be crucified? what sin has he committed, that deserves such a death? From whence it is clear, that of all the things they had accused him, they had not, in Pilate's account, given proof of one single action, that was criminal, nor had he done any: he came into the world without sin, he did none in it; he knew no sin, nor could any be found in him, by Satan, nor his accusers, nor his judge:
but they cried out the more, saying, let him be crucified: the more they saw Pilate inclined to favour him, and pleaded for him, and attested his innocence; the more clamorous, outrageous, and urgent they were to have him crucified.

What evil hath he done? Pilate's struggle between his desire to be just and to please a body demanding a crime at his hands is pitiable. He repeats the question three times and offers to appease their rage by chastising the innocent (Luke 23:22). He had, however, lost his power when he began to parley with a mob. They, utterly unreasonable, only demand the move vehemently that Jesus be crucified.