Matthew 27:15–31

^15aNow at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.

¹⁶And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas.

¹⁷So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? ¹Barabbas, or Jesus ^awho is called ²Christ?”

¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him over.

^19aNow while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that ^brighteous Man; for ¹last night I suffered greatly ^cin a dream because of Him.”

²⁰But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ^aask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death.

²¹But the governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”

²²Pilate ^*said to them, “Then, what shall I do with Jesus ^awho is called ¹Christ?” They all ^*said, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³And he said, “Why, what evil did He do?” But they were crying out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that ^aa riot was starting, he took water and ^bwashed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^cthis man’s blood; ^dsee to that yourselves.”

²⁵And all the people answered and said, “^aHis blood be on us and on our children!”

²⁶Then he released Barabbas ¹for them; but after having Jesus ^ascourged, he delivered Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

^27aThen when the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into ^bthe ¹Praetorium, they gathered the whole Roman ^2ccohort around Him.

²⁸And they stripped Him and ^aput a scarlet robe on Him.

^29aAnd after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a ¹reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “^bHail, King of the Jews!”

^30aAnd they spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.

^31aWhen they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.