¹⁶ Pilate’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace (called the Praetorium). They called all the other soldiers together. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown from thorny branches, and put it on his head. ¹⁸ Then they began shouting, “Welcome, king of the Jews!” ¹⁹ They kept on beating his head with a stick and spitting on him. Then they bowed down on their knees and pretended to honor him as a king. ²⁰ After they finished making fun of him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him out of the palace to be killed on a cross.

² The soldiers made a crown from thorny branches and put it on his head. Then they put a purple robe around him. ³ They kept coming up to him and saying, “Hail to the king of the Jews!” And they hit him in the face.