Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus^(A)

¹⁵ Every year at Passover time the governor would free one prisoner—whichever one the people wanted him to free. ¹⁶ At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.^[a]

¹⁷ When a crowd gathered, Pilate said to them, “I will free one man for you. Which one do you want me to free: Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous of him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting there in the place for judging, his wife sent a message to him. It said, “Don’t do anything with that man. He is not guilty. Last night I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much.”

²⁰ But the leading priests and older Jewish leaders told the people to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed.

²¹ Pilate said, “I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which one do you want me to set free for you?”

The people answered, “Barabbas!”

²² Pilate asked, “So what should I do with Jesus, the one called the Messiah?”

All the people said, “Kill him on a cross!”

²³ Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?”

But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!”

²⁴ Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do to make the people change. In fact, it looked as if there would be a riot. So he took some water and washed his hands^[b] in front of them all. He said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are doing it!”

²⁵ The people answered, “We will take full responsibility for his death. You can blame us and even our children!”

²⁶ Then Pilate set Barabbas free. And he told some soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he handed him over to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.

Pilate’s Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus^(B)

²⁷ Then Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace. All the soldiers gathered around him. ²⁸ They took off Jesus’ clothes and put a red robe on him. ²⁹ Then they made a crown from thorny branches and put it on his head, and they put a stick in his right hand. Then they bowed before him, making fun of him. They said, “We salute you, king of the Jews!” ³⁰ They spit on him. Then they took his stick and kept hitting him on the head with it. ³¹ After they finished making fun of him, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be killed on a cross.

Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus^(A)

¹³ Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders. ¹⁴ He said to them, “You brought this man to me. You said he was trying to change the people. But I judged him before you all and have not found him guilty of the things you say he has done. ¹⁵ Herod didn’t find him guilty either. He sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing bad enough for the death penalty. ¹⁶ So, after I punish him a little, I will let him go free.” ^17 [a]

¹⁸ But they all shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!” ¹⁹ (Barabbas was a man who was in jail for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)

²⁰ Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So again Pilate told them that he would let him go. ²¹ But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”

²² A third time Pilate said to the people, “Why? What wrong has he done? He is not guilty. I can find no reason to kill him. So I will let him go free after I punish him a little.”

²³ But the people continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on a cross. Their shouting got so loud that ²⁴ Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. ²⁵ They wanted Barabbas to go free—the one who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder. Pilate let Barabbas go free. And he handed Jesus over to be killed. This is what the people wanted.

³⁹ But it is one of your customs for me to free one prisoner to you at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to free this ‘king of the Jews’?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!” (Barabbas was a rebel.)

19 Then Pilate ordered that Jesus be taken away and whipped. ² The soldiers made a crown from thorny branches and put it on his head. Then they put a purple robe around him. ³ They kept coming up to him and saying, “Hail to the king of the Jews!” And they hit him in the face.

⁴ Again Pilate came out and said to the Jewish leaders, “Look! I am bringing Jesus out to you. I want you to know that I find nothing I can charge him with.” ⁵ Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is the man!”

⁶ When the leading priests and the Jewish guards saw Jesus they shouted, “Kill him on a cross! Kill him on a cross!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and nail him to a cross yourselves. I find nothing I can charge him with.”

⁷ The Jewish leaders answered, “We have a law that says he must die, because he said he is the Son of God.”

⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was more afraid. ⁹ So he went back inside the palace and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus did not answer him. ¹⁰ Pilate said, “You refuse to speak to me? Remember, I have the power to make you free or to kill you on a cross.”

¹¹ Jesus answered, “The only power you have over me is the power given to you by God. So the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

¹² After this, Pilate tried to let Jesus go free. But the Jewish leaders shouted, “Anyone who makes himself a king is against Caesar. So if you let this man go free, that means you are not Caesar’s friend.”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out to the place called “The Stone Pavement.” (In Aramaic the name is Gabbatha.) Pilate sat down on the judge’s seat there. ¹⁴ It was now almost noon on Preparation day of Passover week. Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your king!”

¹⁵ They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Kill him on a cross!”

Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to kill your king on a cross?”

The leading priests answered, “The only king we have is Caesar!”

¹⁶ So Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be killed on a cross.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross^(A)

The soldiers took Jesus.