Pilate Releases Barabbas

15 Now at each feast, the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd—the one whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner named Jesuse Barabbas.f 17 So after* they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you—Jesusg Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy. 19 And while* he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message* to him, saying, “⌊Have nothing to do with that righteous man⌋,h for I have suffered much as a result of a dream today because of him.”) 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabbas and put Jesus to death. 21 So the governor answered and* said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then should I do with Jesus, the one who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they began to shout* even louder, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

24 So Pilate, when he* saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but instead an uproar was developing, took water and* washed hisi hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You see to it!”* 25 And all the people answered and* said, “His blood be on us and on our children!”