Mark 15:6-15

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

6 Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people ^[a] a prisoner of their choosing. ¹

7 And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.

8 So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.

9 “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.

10 For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

Pilate Delivers Up Jesus

12 So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?” ²

13 And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”

14 “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 27:15–23; Luke 23:13–25)
• 2. (Matthew 27:24–26)

Footnotes

• [a] Literally Now at the feast he would release to them