⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.^[a]

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)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(N)

³² As they were going out,^(O) they met a man from Cyrene,^(P) named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.^(Q)

¹² “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted.

¹⁴ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

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

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.