²⁰ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.^{(A) 21} The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^[a] All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.^{(A) 12} Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do^[a] with the man you call^[b] the King of the Jews?” ¹³ They shouted back, “Crucify him!” ¹⁴ Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!”

³⁸ Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”

Jesus Sentenced to Death

After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him.^{(A) 39} But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”^{(B) 40} They shouted in reply, “Not this man but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a rebel.^(C)

¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”^(A)

¹⁵ They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

¹³ The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob,^[a] the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant^[b] Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him.^(A)

¹⁴ But you rejected the holy and righteous^[a] one and asked to have a murderer given to you,^(A)