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 the Praetorium so that ^dthey 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, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,”

³²to fulfill ^athe word of Jesus which He spoke, 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 ¹on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”

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

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 handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not ²of this realm.”

³⁷Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “^aYou say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, ^bto testify 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 for you the King of the Jews?”

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