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SoPilatesaid to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jewssaid to him, "We are not permitted to putanyone to death,"
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to fulfill1the word of Jesuswhich He spoke, signifying by whatkind of death He was about to die.
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ThereforePilate2enteredagain into the Praetorium, and summonedJesus and said to Him, "3Are You the King of the Jews?"
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Jesusanswered, "Are you sayingthis on your owninitiative, or did otherstell you about Me?"
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Pilateanswered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chiefpriestsdelivered You to me; what have You done?"
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Jesusanswered, "4My kingdom is not of thisworld. If My kingdom were of thisworld, then My servants would be fightingso that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of thisrealm."
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ThereforePilatesaid to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesusanswered, "5You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, 6to testify to the truth. 7Everyone who is of the truthhears My voice."
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Pilatesaid to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had saidthis, he 8went out again to the Jews and said to them, "9 I findnoguilt in Him.
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"10But you have a custom that I releasesomeone for you at the Passover; do you wishthen that I release for you the King of the Jews?"
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So they cried out again, saying, "11Not thisMan, but Barabbas." NowBarabbas was a robber.