Pilate Hands Jesus Over to Be Crucified

⁶ Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked.^(A)

³⁹ But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”^{(A) 40} They shouted in reply, “Not this man but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a rebel.^(B)

⁹ But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there before me on these charges?”^(A)

²⁷ After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.^(A)

¹⁶ I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”^[a](A)

¹⁸ Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!”^{(B) 19} (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city and for murder.) ²⁰ Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”^{(C) 23} But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. ²⁵ He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

Barabbas or Jesus?

¹⁵ Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Jesus^[a] Barabbas. ¹⁷ So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus^[b] Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{[c] 18} For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. ¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”^{(A) 20} Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.^{(B) 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 should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^[d] All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Hands Jesus Over to Be Crucified

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood;^[e] see to it yourselves.”^{(C) 25} Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”^{(D) 26} So he released Barabbas for them, and after flogging Jesus he handed him over to be crucified.^(E)

⁵ But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”^(A)

² “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”^(A)

¹⁶ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So they took Jesus,^(A)