Readings for Lent and Easter

15 Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders, scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. ² Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

He answered, “So you say.”

³ The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they testify against you!”

⁵ But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled.

⁶ Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whomever they asked of him. ⁷ There was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow insurgents, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. ⁸ The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them. ⁹ Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should release Barabbas to them instead. ¹² Pilate again asked them, “What then should I do to him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

¹³ They cried out again, “Crucify him!”

¹⁴ Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?”

But they cried out exceedingly, “Crucify him!”