And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said unto them, "Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him." Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas, lying bound with them that had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder. And the multitude went up and began to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto them. And Pilate answered them, saying, "Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up. Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. But the governor answered and said unto them, "Which of the two will ye that I release unto you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate saith unto them, "What then shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ?" They all say, "Let him be crucified." And he said unto them a third time, "Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise and release him." Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they stripped him, and arrayed him in a purple garment. And they platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying: "Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him with their hands. And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him upon the head. And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, "Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him." Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith unto them, "Behold, the man!" When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate saith unto them, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again, and saith unto Jesus, "Whence art thou?" But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to crucify thee?" Jesus answered him, "Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin." Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, "If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend: every one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar." When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, "Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." Now it was the Preparation of the passover: it was about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, "Behold, your King." They therefore cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate saith unto them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye to it." And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us, and on our children." And they were urgent with loud voices asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. And Pilate, wishing to content the multitude, gave sentence that what they asked for should be done. And he released unto them Barabbas, him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will. And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him. |