14
"But what crime has he committed?" Pilate asked. They shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
15
Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed him over to be crucified.
16
The soldiers took Jesus inside to the courtyard of the governor's palace and called together the rest of the company.
17
They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches, and put it on his head.
18
Then they began to salute him: "Long live the King of the Jews!"
19
They beat him over the head with a stick, spat on him, fell on their knees, and bowed down to him.
20
When they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21
On the way they met a man named Simon, who was coming into the city from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross. (Simon was from Cyrene and was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)
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22
They took Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means "The Place of the Skull."
23
There they tried to give him wine mixed with a drug called myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it.
24
Then they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves, throwing dice to see who would get which piece of clothing.
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