23
Pilate asked, "Why? What has he done wrong?" But they began to shout loudly, "He should be crucified!"
24
Pilate saw that he was not getting anywhere. Instead, a riot was breaking out. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. He said, "I won't be guilty of killing this man. Do what you want!"
25
All the people answered, "The responsibility for killing him will rest on us and our children."
26
Then Pilate freed Barabbas for the people. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.
27
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the palace and gathered the whole troop around him.
28
They took off his clothes and put a bright red cape on him.
29
They twisted some thorns into a crown, placed it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. They knelt in front of him and made fun of him by saying, "Long live the king of the Jews!"
30
After they had spit on him, they took the stick and kept hitting him on the head with it.
31
After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
32
On the way they found a man named Simon. He was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross.
33
They came to a place called Golgotha (which means "the place of the skull").