John 18:28-32

Contemporary English Version

Jesus Is Tried by Pilate

(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; Luke 23.1-5)

²⁸It was early in the morning when Jesus was taken from Caiaphas to the building where the Roman governor stayed. But the crowd waited outside. Any of them who had gone inside would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal.^[a]

²⁹Pilate came out and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰^(A) They answered, “He is a criminal! That's why we brought him to you.”

³¹Pilate told them, “Take him and judge him by your own laws.”

The crowd replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” ³²^(B) And so what Jesus said about his death^[b] would soon come true.

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Footnotes

18.28 would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal: Jewish people who came in close contact with foreigners right before Passover were not allowed to eat the Passover meal.
18.32 about his death: Jesus had said that he would die by being “lifted up,” which meant that he would die on a cross. The Romans killed criminals by nailing them on a cross, but they did not let the Jews kill anyone in this way.