¹⁵ Now at the feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner whom the people chose.^{(A) 16} And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner [guilty of insurrection and murder], called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they had assembled [for this purpose], Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to set free for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the chief priests and elders had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous and innocent Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ The governor said to them, “Which of the two do you wish me to set free for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all replied, “Let Him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they continued shouting all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!”^(B)

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”^{(C) 25} And all the people answered, “Let [the responsibility for] His blood be on us and on our children!”^{(D) 26} So he set Barabbas free for them; but after having Jesus severely whipped (scourged), he handed Him over to be crucified.

¹⁸ But they [loudly] shouted out all together, saying, “Away with this Man, and release Barabbas to us!”^{(A) 19} (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection that happened in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus, ²¹ but they kept shouting out, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why, what wrong has He done? I have found no guilt [no crime, no offense] in Him demanding death; therefore I will punish Him [to teach Him a lesson] and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent and unrelenting, demanding with loud voices that Jesus be crucified. And their voices began to prevail and accomplish their purpose. ²⁴ Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. ²⁵ And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he handed over Jesus to their will.

³⁹ But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. So shall I release for you the King of the Jews?”^{(A) 40} Then they all shouted back again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a ^[a]robber.

The Crown of Thorns

19 So then Pilate took Jesus and had Him ^[b]scourged (flogged, whipped). ² And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe around Him;^{(B) 3} and they kept coming up to Him, saying [mockingly], “Hail, King of the Jews [Good health! Peace! Long life to you, King of the Jews]!” And they slapped Him in the face.^{(C) 4} Then Pilate came out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].” ⁵ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate said to them, “Look! The Man!” ⁶ When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify [Him]! Crucify [Him]!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].”^{(D) 7} The Jews answered him, “We have a law [regarding blasphemy], and according to that law He should die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”^(E)

⁸ So when Pilate heard this said, he was [even] more ^[c]alarmed and afraid. ⁹ He went into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not answer him.^{(F) 10} So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” ¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me at all if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the sin and guilt of the ^[d]one who handed Me over to you is greater [than your own].” ¹² As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, “^[e]If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called ^[f]The Pavement, but in ^[g]Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation for the ^[h]Passover [week], and it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Look, your King!” ¹⁵ But they shouted, “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 but Caesar!”

The Crucifixion

¹⁶ Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.