Matthew 27:15-26

International Standard Version

Jesus is Sentenced to Death^(A)

¹⁵ At every festival^[a] the governor had a custom of releasing to the crowd any prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.^{[b] 17} So when the people^[c] had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to release for you—Barabbas,^[d] or Jesus who is called ‘the Messiah’?”^{[e] 18} He did this^[f] because he knew that they had handed him over out of jealousy.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him a message^[g] that said, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, because today I have suffered terribly due to a dream I had about him.”

²⁰ But the high priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to demand that Jesus be put to death. ²¹ So the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they replied.

²² Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”^[h]

They all said, “Let him be crucified!”

²³ He asked, “What has he done wrong?”

But they kept shouting louder and louder, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁴ Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was about to break out instead. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s^[i] blood. Attend to that yourselves.”

²⁵ All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas for them, but he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.