32
(This happened so that what Jesus said about how he would die would come true.)
33
Then Pilate went back inside the palace and called Jesus to him and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
34
Jesus said, "Is that your own question, or did others tell you about me?"
35
Pilate answered, "I am not Jewish. It was your own people and their leading priests who handed you over to me. What have you done wrong?"
36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it belonged to this world, my servants would fight so that I would not be given over to the Jews. But my kingdom is from another place."
37
Pilate said, "So you are a king!" Jesus answered, "You are the one saying I am a king. This is why I was born and came into the world: to tell people the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me."
38
Pilate said, "What is truth?" After he said this, he went out to the Jews again and said to them, "I find nothing against this man.
39
But it is your custom that I free one prisoner to you at Passover time. Do you want me to free the 'king of the Jews'?"
40
They shouted back, "No, not him! Let Barabbas go free!" (Barabbas was a robber.)