^15 (A)Now at the Passover Feast the governor was accustomed to release for the ^[a]people any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus ^(B)who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was because of envy that ^[b]they had handed Him over.

¹⁹ And ^(C)while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “See that you have nothing to do with that ^(D)righteous Man; for ^[c]last night I suffered greatly ^(E)in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ^(F)ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ And the governor ^[d]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 shall I do with Jesus ^(G)who is called Christ?” They all *said, “^[e]Crucify Him!” ²³ But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “^[f]Crucify Him!”

²⁴ Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that ^(H)a riot was starting, he took water and ^(I)washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^(J)this Man’s blood; ^(K)you yourselves shall see.” ²⁵ And all the people replied, “^(L)His blood shall be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas ^[g]for them; but after having Jesus ^(M)flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

^6 (A)Now at the Passover Feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷ And the one named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the revolt. ⁸ And the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. ⁹ Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd ^(B)to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. ¹² And responding again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ They shouted ^[a]back, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴ But Pilate said to them, “Why, what ^[b]evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁵ Intent on satisfying the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus ^(C)flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, “^(A)Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!” ¹⁹ (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept on crying out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² And he said to them a third time, “Why, what has this man done wrong? I have found ^[a]in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will ^[b](B)punish Him and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. ²⁴ And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. ²⁵ And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.