¹³Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people. ¹⁴He told them, “You brought me this man as someone who turns the people against the government. I’ve questioned him in front of you and haven’t found this man guilty of the crimes of which you accuse him. ¹⁵Neither could Herod. So he sent this man back to us. This man hasn’t done anything to deserve the death penalty. ¹⁶So I’m going to have him whipped and set free.”^a

The Crowd Rejects Jesus—Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; John 18:39–40

¹⁸The whole crowd then shouted, “Take him away! Free Barabbas for us.” ¹⁹(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for his involvement in a riot that had taken place in the city and for murder.)

²⁰But because Pilate wanted to free Jesus, he spoke to the people again.

²¹They began yelling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²²A third time Pilate spoke to them. He asked, “Why? What has he done wrong? I haven’t found this man deserving of the death penalty. So I’m going to have him whipped and set free.”

²³But the crowd pressured Pilate. They shouted that Jesus had to be crucified, and they finally won. ²⁴Pilate decided to give in to their demand. ²⁵He freed Barabbas, who had been put in prison for rioting and murdering, because that’s what they wanted. But he let them do what they wanted to Jesus.

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Footnotes

a 23:16 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 17: “At every Passover festival the governor had to set someone free for them.”