² After tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate,^[a] the governor.^(A)

Jesus Faces the Governor

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor.^(A) “Are You the King of the Jews?” the governor asked Him.

Jesus answered, “You have said it.”^{[a](B) 12} And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn’t answer.^(C)

¹³ Then Pilate said to Him, “Don’t You hear how much they are testifying against You?” ¹⁴ But He didn’t answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.^(D)

²⁵ and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.^(A)

Jesus before Pilate

²⁸ Then^(A) they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters.^(B) It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

²⁹ Then Pilate^(C) came out to them and said, “What charge^(D) do you bring against this man?”

³⁰ They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal,^[a] we wouldn’t have handed Him over to you.”

³¹ So Pilate told them, “Take Him yourselves and judge Him according to your law.”

“It’s not legal^[b] for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared. ³² They said this so that Jesus’ words might be fulfilled signifying what kind of death He was going to die.^(E)

³³ Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”^(F)

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about Me?”

³⁵ “I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”

³⁶ “My kingdom^(G) is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world,^(H) My servants^[c](I) would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.”^[d](J)

³⁷ “You are a king then?” Pilate asked.

“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world^(K) for this: to testify^(L) to the truth.^(M) Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

³⁸ “What is truth?” said Pilate.

Jesus or Barabbas

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds^(N) for charging Him.