⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.^(A)

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath^(B) by the living God:^(C) Tell us if you are the Messiah,^(D) the Son of God.”^(E)

⁶⁴ “You have said so,”^(F) Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One^(G) and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^[a](H)

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes^(I) and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,”^(J) they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.^(K) Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”^(L)

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^(A) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar^(B) was starting, he took water and washed his hands^(C) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”^(D) he said. “It is your responsibility!”^(E)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”^(F)

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,^(G) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(H)

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium^(I) and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,^{(J) 29} and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.^{(K) 30} They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.^{(L) 31} After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.^(M)