²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,^(A) and handed him over to be crucified.

¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king^(A) opposes Caesar.”

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,^(A) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent^(B) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream^(C) because of him.”

⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted