35
Pilate responded, "I'm not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"
36
Jesus replied, " My kingdom doesn't originate from this world. If it did, my guards would fight so that I wouldn't have been arrested by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom isn't from here."
37
"So you are a king?" Pilate said. Jesus answered, " You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice."
"What is truth?" Pilate asked.
Release of Barabbas
38 After Pilate said this, he returned to the Jewish leaders and said, "I find no grounds for any charge against him.
39
You have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at Passover. Do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?"
40
They shouted, "Not this man! Give us Barabbas!" (Barabbas was an outlaw.)