⁵ “He is in your hands,”^(A) King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing^(B) to oppose you.”

¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king^(A) opposes Caesar.”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat^(B) at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic^(C) is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation^(D) of the Passover; it was about noon.^(E)

“Here is your king,”^(F) Pilate said to the Jews.

¹⁵ But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.^(G)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(H)

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.

³⁹ And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah^(A) are too strong^(B) for me.^(C) May the Lord repay^(D) the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

²² David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?^(A) What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today?^(B) Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?”

⁹ Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel^(A) of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders^(B) have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’

²⁴ Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.^(A) I violated^(B) the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid^(C) of the men and so I gave in to them.