16
I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go."
18
At that, the crowd went wild: "Kill him! Give us Barabbas!"
19
(Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.
20
Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.
21
But they kept shouting back, "Crucify! Crucify him!
22
He tried a third time. "But for what crime? I've found nothing in him deserving death. I'm going to warn him to watch his step and let him go."
23
But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down.
24
Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted.
25
He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.
26
As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus.