18
Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!”
19
(Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)
20
Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus.
21
But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22
For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”
23
But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed.
24
So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.
25
As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
26
As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
[a].
Some manuscripts add verse 17, Now it was necessary for him to release one prisoner to them during the Passover celebration. Compare Matt 27:15 ; Mark 15:6 ; John 18:39 .