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Pilate Questions Jesus

(Mark 15.2-5; Luke 23.3-5; John 18.33-38)

11 Jesus was brought before Pilate the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Those are your words!” Jesus answered. 12 And when the chief priests and leaders brought their charges against him, he did not say a thing.

13 Pilate asked him, “Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?” 14 But Jesus did not say anything, and the governor was greatly amazed.

The Death Sentence

(Mark 15.6-15; Luke 23.13-26; John 18.39—19.16)

15 During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. 16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas[a] was in jail. 17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 Pilate knew the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don't have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed. 21 Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”

“Barabbas!” they shouted.

22 Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”

They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

23 Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”

“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

24 (A) Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands[b] in front of them and said, “I won't have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”

25 Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”

26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

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Footnotes

  1. 27.16 Jesus Barabbas: Here and in verse 17 many manuscripts have “Barabbas.”
  2. 27.24 washed his hands: To show that he was innocent.

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