Readings for Lent and Easter

¹¹ Then Herod with his soldiers despised Him, and mocked Him, and dressed Him in a fine robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² On the same day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, having previously been at enmity with each other.

Jesus Sentenced to Die^(A)

¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You have brought this Man to me as one who incites the people. And truly, I, having examined Him before you, have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him. ¹⁵ No, neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing worthy of death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.” ¹⁷ For he was obligated to release one man to them at the feast.

¹⁸ But they all cried out at once saying, “Take this Man away and release Barabbas to us!” ¹⁹ This man had been thrown in prison for an insurrection in the city and for murder.

²⁰ Therefore Pilate spoke to them again, desiring to release Jesus. ²¹ But they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

²² He said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found in Him no cause worthy of death. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.”

²³ But they insisted with loud voices, asking that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave the sentence as they demanded. ²⁵ He released to them the man who was thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for. But he sentenced Jesus according to their will.