John 18:29-40 ▼

29 Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?”

30 They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.”

31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”

32 This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.

33 Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?”

35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.

39 However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release for you the King of the Jews?”

40 So they shouted again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.