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15 (A)Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? [a]Barabbas, or Jesus (B)who is called [b]Christ?” 18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him over.

19 (C)Now while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that (D)righteous Man; for [c]last night I suffered greatly (E)in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to (F)ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. 21 But the governor answered and 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 shall I do with Jesus (G)who is called [d]Christ?” They all *said, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why, what evil did He do?” But they were crying out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that (H)a riot was starting, he took water and (I)washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of (J)this man’s blood; (K)see to that yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered and said, “(L)His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas [e]for them; but after having Jesus (M)scourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:17 Some mss Jesus Barabbas
  2. Matthew 27:17 Messiah
  3. Matthew 27:19 Lit today
  4. Matthew 27:22 Messiah
  5. Matthew 27:26 Or to them

Jesus or Barabbas

15 At the festival(A) the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.[a] 17 So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Who is it you want me to release for you—Barabbas,[b] or Jesus who is called Messiah?”(B) 18 For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judge’s bench, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I’ve suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!”(C)

20 The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.

22 Pilate asked them, “What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?”

They all answered, “Crucify Him!”[c](D)

23 Then he said, “Why? What has He done wrong?”

But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him!” all the more.(E)

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere,[d] but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.[e] See to it yourselves!”(F)

25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us(G) and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged,[f] he handed Him over to be crucified.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 27:16 Other mss read Jesus Barabbas
  2. Matthew 27:17 Other mss read Jesus Barabbas
  3. Matthew 27:22 Lit “Him—be crucified!”
  4. Matthew 27:24 Lit that it availed nothing
  5. Matthew 27:24 Other mss read this righteous man’s blood
  6. Matthew 27:26 Roman flogging was done with a whip made of leather strips embedded with pieces of bone or metal that brutally tore the flesh.