Jesus Stands in Front of Pilate ^(A)

23 Then all the many people got up and took Jesus to Pilate. ² They began to tell things against Him, saying, “We have found this Man leading the people of our nation in a wrong way. He has been telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar. He has been saying He is Christ, a King.”

³ Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He said, “What you said is true.” ⁴ Then Pilate said to the religious leaders and to the people, “I find nothing wrong in this Man.” ⁵ They became more angry. They said, “He makes trouble among the people. He has been teaching over all the country of Judea, starting in Galilee and now here.”

Jesus Is Sent to Herod

⁶ When Pilate heard the word, Galilee, he asked, “Is the Man from Galilee?” ⁷ As soon as Pilate knew Jesus belonged in the country where Herod was king, he sent Him to Herod. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time also.

⁸ Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus because he had wanted to see Him for a long time. He had heard many things about Him and had hoped to see Him do some powerful work. ⁹ Herod talked to Jesus and asked many things. But Jesus said nothing. ¹⁰ The religious leaders and the teachers of the Law were standing there. They said many false things against Him.

¹¹ Then Herod and his soldiers were very bad to Jesus and made fun of Him. They put a beautiful coat on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² That day Pilate and Herod became friends. Before that they had worked against each other.

¹³ Pilate called the religious leaders and the leaders of the people and the people together. ¹⁴ He said to them, “You brought this Man to me as one that leads the people in the wrong way. I have asked Him about these things in front of you. I do not find Him guilty of the things you say against Him. ¹⁵ Herod found nothing wrong with Him because he sent Him back to us. There is no reason to have Him put to death. ¹⁶ I will punish Him and let Him go free.”

Jesus or Barabbas Is to Go Free ^(B)

¹⁷ *Every year at the time of the special supper, Pilate would let one person who was in prison go free. ¹⁸ They all cried out together with a loud voice, “Take this Man away! Let Barabbas go free.” ¹⁹ Barabbas had killed some people and had made trouble against the leaders of the country. He had been put in prison.

²⁰ Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free so he talked to them again. ²¹ But they cried out, “Nail Him to a cross! Nail Him to a cross!” ²² Pilate said to them the third time, “Why, what bad thing has He done? I have found no reason to put Him to death. I will punish Him and let Him go free.”

²³ But they kept on crying out with loud voices saying that He must be nailed to a cross. Their loud voices got what they wanted. ²⁴ Then Pilate said that it should be done as they wanted. ²⁵ Pilate let the man go free who had made trouble against the leaders of the country and who had killed people. He gave Jesus over to them to do with as they wanted.