⁴² The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.

¹⁹ After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.^(A)

Herod’s Death

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea^(B) and stayed there.

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”^(A)

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,^(A) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(B)

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(C) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^{(D) 19} Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(E) to crucify him.

³ This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all.^(A) The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,^(B) and afterward they join the dead.^(C)