Matthew 27:15-26
English Standard Version
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15 (A)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or (B)Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out (C)of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on (D)the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with (E)that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today (F)in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to (G)ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again 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 who is called Christ?” (H)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? (I)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that (J)a riot was beginning, he took water and (K)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of (L)this man's blood;[a] (M)see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, (N)“His blood be on us and (O)on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having (P)scourged[b] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 27:24 Some manuscripts this righteous blood, or this righteous man's blood
- Matthew 27:26 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal
Mark 15:6-15
English Standard Version
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
6 (A)Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had (B)committed murder (C)in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that (D)it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with (E)the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? (F)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having (G)scourged[a] Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Mark 15:15 A Roman judicial penalty, consisting of a severe beating with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal
Luke 23:1-7
English Standard Version
Jesus Before Pilate
23 (A)Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man (B)misleading our nation and (C)forbidding us to give tribute to (D)Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, (E)a king.” 3 (F)And Pilate asked him, (G)“Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, (H)“You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, (I)“I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, (J)from Galilee even to this place.”
Jesus Before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to (K)Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
Read full chapter
John 18:39-19:16
English Standard Version
39 (A)But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, (B)“Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.[a]
Jesus Delivered to Be Crucified
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and (C)flogged him. 2 (D)And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that (E)I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing (F)the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, (G)“Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, (H)“Take him yourselves and crucify him, for (I)I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews[b] answered him, “We have a law, and (J)according to that law he ought to die because (K)he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, (L)he was even more afraid. 9 (M)He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, (N)“Where are you from?” But (O)Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, (P)“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore (Q)he who delivered me over to you (R)has the greater sin.”
12 From then on (S)Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. (T)Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on (U)the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic[c] Gabbatha. 14 Now it was (V)the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour.[d] He said to the Jews, (W)“Behold your King!” 15 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.” 16 (Y)So he (Z)delivered him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
So they took Jesus,
Footnotes
- John 18:40 Or an insurrectionist
- John 19:7 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verses 12, 14, 31, 38
- John 19:13 Or Hebrew; also verses 17, 20
- John 19:14 That is, about noon
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Bible Gateway Recommends






