The Crowd Chooses Barabbas
6 Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people 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.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
3
17
They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.
18
And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
19
They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.