Sayings of King Lemuel

31 The sayings^(A) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

Jesus Before Pilate^(A)

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.^(B) By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace,^(C) because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.^{(D) 29} So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰ “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. ³² This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.^(E)

³³ Pilate then went back inside the palace,^(F) summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(G)

³⁴ “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom^(H) is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.^(I) But now my kingdom is from another place.”^(J)

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.^(K) Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”^(L)

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.^{(M) 39} But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.^(N)

⁹ “This calls for a mind with wisdom.^(A) The seven heads^(B) are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹ The beast who once was, and now is not,^(C) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹² “The ten horns^(D) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(E) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^{(F) 14} They will wage war^(G) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(H) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(I)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(J) and faithful followers.”

¹⁵ Then the angel said to me, “The waters^(K) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.^{(L) 16} The beast and the ten horns^(M) you saw will hate the prostitute.^(N) They will bring her to ruin^(O) and leave her naked;^(P) they will eat her flesh^(Q) and burn her with fire.^{(R) 17} For God has put it into their hearts^(S) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,^(T) until God’s words are fulfilled.^{(U) 18} The woman you saw is the great city^(V) that rules over the kings of the earth.”