Wash your hands of the matter

• This everyday expression means to dismiss a situation or to no longer take part in the proceedings.
• The phrase comes from The Bible, Matthew 27:24 KJV.

In the Bible

• In the Bible, the crowd chose to release a notorious prisoner called Barabbas and elected instead to crucify Jesus.
• Pontius Pilate then symbolically washed his hands, saying that he was innocent, and that it was the crowd that was responsible.