Jesus or Barabbas

⁶ At^(A) the festival^(B) it was Pilate’s^(C) custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. ⁷ There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder^(D) during the rebellion.^{(E) 8} The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. ⁹ So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King^(F) of the Jews^(G) for you?” ¹⁰ For he knew it was because of envy^(H) that the chief priests had handed Him over. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

¹² Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

¹³ Again they shouted, “Crucify Him!”

¹⁴ Then Pilate said to them, “Why? What has He done wrong?”

But they shouted, “Crucify Him!” all the more.

¹⁵ Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged,^[a] he handed Him over to be crucified.

Mocked by the Military

¹⁶ Then^(I) the soldiers led Him away into the courtyard (that is, headquarters^(J)) and called the whole company together. ¹⁷ They dressed Him in a purple^(K) robe, twisted together a crown^(L) of thorns, and put it on Him. ¹⁸ And they began to salute Him, “Hail,^(M) King^(N) of the Jews!” ¹⁹ They kept hitting Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him. Getting down on their knees,^(O) they were paying Him homage. ²⁰ When they had mocked^(P) Him, they stripped Him of the purple robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Crucified between Two Criminals

²¹ They^(Q) forced a man coming in from the country, who was passing by, to carry Jesus’ cross.^(R) He was Simon, a Cyrenian,^(S) the father of Alexander and Rufus.^{(T) 22} And^(U) they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Skull Place^(V)). ²³ They tried to give Him wine^(W) mixed with myrrh,^(X) but He did not take it. ²⁴ Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes, casting lots^(Y) for them to decide what each would get. ²⁵ Now it was nine in the morning^[b] when they crucified Him. ²⁶ The inscription of the charge written against Him was:

²⁷ They^(AB) crucified two criminals^[c](AC) with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [²⁸ So the Scripture was fulfilled that says: And He was counted among outlaws.]^{[d](AD)[e] 29} Those^(AE) who passed by were yelling insults^(AF) at^[f] Him, shaking their heads,^(AG) and saying, “Ha! The One who would demolish the sanctuary and build it in three days,^{(AH) 30} save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”^{(AI) 31} In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes^(AJ) were mocking Him to one another and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself! ³² Let the Messiah,^(AK) the King^(AL) of Israel,^(AM) come down now from the cross,^(AN) so that we may see and believe.”^(AO) Even those who were crucified with Him were taunting Him.