Matthew 27:21-31

English Standard Version

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 shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” ^(A)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? ^(B)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that ^(C)a riot was beginning, he took water and ^(D)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^(E)this man's blood;^{[a] (F)}see to it yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people answered, ^(G)“His blood be on us and ^(H)on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having ^(I)scourged^[b] Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

^27 (J)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the ^(K)governor's headquarters,^[c] and they gathered the whole ^(L)battalion^[d] before him. ²⁸ And they stripped him and put ^(M)a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they ^(N)mocked him, saying, “Hail, ^(O)King of the Jews!” ³⁰ And ^(P)they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. ³¹ And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and ^(Q)led him away to crucify him.