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

^19 (C)While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that ^(D)righteous Man; for ^[b]last night I suffered greatly ^(E)in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ^(F)ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ But the governor ^[c]said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus ^(G)who is called Christ?” They all *said, “^[d]Crucify Him!” ²³ And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “^[e]Crucify Him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that ^(H)a riot was starting, he took water and ^(I)washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^(J)this Man’s blood; ^(K)see to that yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people said, “^(L)His blood shall be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas ^[f]for them; but after having Jesus ^(M)scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, “^(A)Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” ¹⁹ (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will ^(B)punish Him and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. ²⁴ And 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 delivered Jesus to their will.

^39 (A)But you have a custom that I release someone ^[a]for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release ^[b]for you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ So they cried out again, saying, “^(B)Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.

The Crown of Thorns

19 Pilate then took Jesus and ^[c](C)scourged Him. ^2 (D)And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; ³ and they began to come up to Him and say, “^(E)Hail, King of the Jews!” and to ^(F)give Him slaps in the face. ⁴ Pilate ^(G)came out again and *said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that ^(H)I find no guilt in Him.” ⁵ Jesus then came out, ^(I)wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” ⁶ So when the chief priests and the ^(J)officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for ^(K)I find no guilt in Him.” ⁷ The Jews answered him, “^(L)We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He ^(M)made Himself out to be the Son of God.”

⁸ Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; ⁹ and he ^(N)entered into the ^[d]Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But ^(O)Jesus gave him no answer. 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, “^(P)You would have no authority ^[e]over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason ^(Q)he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” ¹² As a result of this Pilate ^[f]made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “^(R)If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king ^[g]opposes Caesar.”

¹³ Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and ^(S)sat down on the judgment seat at a place called ^[h]The Pavement, but ^(T)in ^[i]Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was ^(U)the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the ^[j](V)sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, ^(W)your King!” ¹⁵ So they cried out, “^(X)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 So he then ^(Y)handed Him over to them to be crucified.