Matthew 27:15-31

New King James Version

Taking the Place of Barabbas^(A)

^15 (B)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. ¹⁶ And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called ^[a]Barabbas. ¹⁷ Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of ^(C)envy.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

^20 (D)But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, ^(E)“Barabbas!”

²² Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³ Then the governor said, ^(F)“Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a ^[b]tumult was rising, he ^(G)took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this ^[c]just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵ And all the people answered and said, ^(H)“His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when ^(I)he had ^[d]scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(J)

^27 (K)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the ^[e]Praetorium and gathered the whole ^[f]garrison around Him. ²⁸ And they ^(L)stripped Him and ^(M)put a scarlet robe on Him. ^29 (N)When they had ^[g]twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then ^(O)they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. ³¹ And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, ^(P)and led Him away to be crucified.