John 18:28–40

Jesus Before Pilate

^28aThen they ^*led Jesus from ^bCaiaphas into ^cthe ¹Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into ^dthe ²Praetorium so that ^ethey would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

^29aTherefore Pilate went out to them and ^*said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”

³⁰They answered and said to him, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.”

³¹So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”

³²in order that ^athe word of Jesus which He spoke would be fulfilled, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

³³Therefore Pilate ^aentered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “^bAre You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴Jesus answered, “Are you saying this from yourself, or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what did You do?”

³⁶Jesus answered, “^aMy kingdom ¹is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be delivered over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not ²from here.”

³⁷Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “^aYou yourself said I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, ^bto bear witness to the truth. ^cEveryone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸Pilate ^*said to Him, “What is truth?”

And when he had said this, he ^awent out again to the Jews and ^*said to them, “^bI find no guilt in Him.

³⁹“^aBut you have a custom that I release someone ¹for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release ²for you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰So they cried out again, saying, “^aNot this man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.