¹² And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, ^(A)He did not offer any answer. ¹³ Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they are testifying against You?” ¹⁴ And still ^(B)He did not answer him in regard to even a single ^[a]charge, so the governor was greatly amazed.

^15 (C)Now at the Passover Feast the governor was accustomed to release for the ^[b]people any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus ^(D)who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was because of envy that ^[c]they had handed Him over.

¹⁹ And ^(E)while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “See that you have nothing to do with that ^(F)righteous Man; for ^[d]last night I suffered greatly ^(G)in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ^(H)ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ And the governor ^[e]said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus ^(I)who is called Christ?” They all *said, “^[f]Crucify Him!” ²³ But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “^[g]Crucify Him!”

²⁴ Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that ^(J)a riot was starting, he took water and ^(K)washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^(L)this Man’s blood; ^(M)you yourselves shall see.” ²⁵ And all the people replied, “^(N)His blood shall be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas ^[h]for them; but after having Jesus ^(O)flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

⁴ But Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You offer nothing in answer? See how many charges they are bringing against You!” ⁵ But Jesus ^(A)said nothing further in answer, so Pilate was amazed.

^6 (B)Now at the Passover Feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷ And the one named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the revolt. ⁸ And the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. ⁹ Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd ^(C)to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. ¹² And responding again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ They shouted ^[a]back, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴ But Pilate said to them, “Why, what ^[b]evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁵ Intent on satisfying the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus ^(D)flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release

¹³ Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the ^[a](A)rulers, and the people, ¹⁴ and he said to them, “You brought this man to me on the ground that ^(B)he is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I ^(C)have found no basis at all in the case of this man for the charges which you are bringing against Him. ¹⁵ No, nor has ^(D)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ Therefore I will ^[b](E)punish Him and release Him.” ¹⁷ [^[c]Now he was obligated to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, “^(F)Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!” ¹⁹ (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept on crying out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² And he said to them a third time, “Why, what has this man done wrong? I have found ^[d]in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will ^[e](G)punish Him and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. ²⁴ And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. ²⁵ And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.

³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “^(A)You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: ^(B)to testify to the truth. ^(C)Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” ³⁸ Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”

And after saying this, he ^(D)came out again to the Jews and *said to them, “^(E)I find no grounds at all for charges in ^[a]His case. ^39 (F)However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner ^[b]for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release ^[c]for you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ So they shouted again, saying, “^(G)Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.

The Crown of Thorns

19 So Pilate then took Jesus and ^[d](H)had Him flogged. ^2 (I)And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple ^[e]cloak on Him; ³ and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “^(J)Hail, King of the Jews!” and ^(K)slapped Him in the face again and again. ⁴ And then Pilate ^(L)came out again and *said to them, “See, I am bringing Him out to you so that you will know that ^(M)I find no grounds at all for charges in ^[f]His case.” ⁵ Jesus then came out, ^(N)wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” ⁶ So when the chief priests and the ^(O)officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for ^(P)I find no grounds for charges in ^[g]His case!” ⁷ The Jews answered him, “^(Q)We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He ^(R)made Himself out to be the Son of God!”

⁸ Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; ⁹ and he ^(S)entered the ^[h]Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But ^(T)Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ So Pilate *said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” ¹¹ Jesus answered him, “^(U)You would have no authority ^[i]over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason ^(V)the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” ¹² As a result of this, Pilate ^[j]made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying, “^(W)If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king ^[k]opposes Caesar!”

¹³ Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and ^(X)sat down on the judgment seat at a place called ^[l]The Pavement—but ^(Y)in ^[m]Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was ^(Z)the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the ^[n](AA)sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Look, ^(AB)your King!” ¹⁵ So they shouted, “^(AC)Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king except Caesar.”

The Crucifixion

¹⁶ So he then ^(AD)handed Him over to them to be crucified.