Book of Common Prayer

²⁵ But now I am going to Jerusalem with a gift to help God's people.

²⁶ The people of Macedonia and Achaia wanted to send a gift to help God's people in Jerusalem who are poor.

²⁷ They wanted to do it, and they should do it for them. The Jews gave the people who were not Jews the good things their spirits need. So the people who were not Jews should give the Jews the good things their bodies need.

²⁸ I will finish doing this, and I will give them what the people send them. Then I will go by you on my way to Spain.

²⁹ And I know that when I come to you, I will bring great blessings from Christ.

³⁰ My brothers, I ask you to do this for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and because the Spirit has given you love. Talk to God for me. And I also will talk to him.

³¹ Ask him to save me from the people in Judea who do not believe. Ask him that the gift I take to Jerusalem may please God's people there.

³² Ask him to let me come to you and have a good time with you.

³³ God gives peace. I ask that he will be with you all. He will!

¹¹ Jesus stood before the ruler. The ruler asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus said, `Yes, I am.'

¹² When the chief priests and leaders brought their complaints, Jesus said nothing.

¹³ Then Pilate said to him, `Do you not hear what these people say against you?'

¹⁴ But Jesus did not answer him, not even one word. Pilate was very much surprised about this.

¹⁵ At the feast Pilate used to let one prisoner free. He let the people choose the man they wanted to go free.

¹⁶ In the prison at that time was a very bad man named Barabbas.

¹⁷ So while the people were there Pilate asked them, `Which one do you want me to let free for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?'

¹⁸ Pilate knew that the chief priests did not like Jesus. He knew that was why they had brought Jesus to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting in the court to judge the case, his wife sent a message to him. She said, `Do nothing to that good man. I have been troubled very much in a dream about him today.'

²⁰ The chief priests and leaders talked to the people. They told them to ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free, but to kill Jesus.

²¹ The ruler said to the people, `Which of these two do you want me to let go free for you?' They said, `Barabbas.'

²² Pilate said to them, `Then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?' They all said, `Nail him to a cross!'

²³ The ruler said, `What wrong thing has he done?' But they shouted even more, `Nail him to a cross!'