New Testament in a Year

Jesus Before Pilate

23 Then their whole assembly rose up and ^(A)brought Him before Pilate. ^2 (B)And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man ^(C)misleading our nation and ^(D)forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is ^[a]Christ, a King.” ³ So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “^(E)You yourself say it.” ⁴ Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “^(F)I find no guilt in this man.” ⁵ But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, ^(G)starting from Galilee even as far as this place.”

⁶ Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to ^(H)Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.

Jesus Before Herod

⁸ Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for ^(I)he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some ^[b]sign performed by Him. ⁹ And he questioned Him ^[c]at some length, but ^(J)He answered him nothing. ¹⁰ And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. ¹¹ And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, ^(K)dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² Now ^(L)Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been at enmity with each other.

Pilate Grants the Crowd’s Request

¹³ And Pilate summoned the chief priests and the ^(M)rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who ^[d](N)incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I ^(O)have found in this man no guilt of what you are accusing Him. ¹⁵ No, nor has ^(P)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ Therefore I will ^(Q)punish Him and release Him.” ^17 [e][Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, “^(R)Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” ¹⁹ (He had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city and for murder.) ²⁰ But again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Jesus, ²¹ but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² And he said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt worthy of death; therefore I will ^(S)punish Him and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices were prevailing. ²⁴ And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. ²⁵ And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.