Governor Pilate Questions Jesus

15 ¹Very early in the morning, the leading priests, the older Jewish leaders, the teachers of the law, and all the Jewish council decided what to do with Jesus. They tied Jesus and led him to Pilate, [the governor]. They gave Jesus to Pilate. ²Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Yes, that is right." ³The leading priests accused Jesus of many things. ⁴So Pilate asked Jesus another question. Pilate said, "You can see that these people are accusing you of many things. Why don't you answer?" ⁵But Jesus still did not answer. Pilate was very surprised at this.

Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus

⁶Every year at the Passover* time the governor would free one person from the prison. He would free any person the people wanted him to free. ⁷At that time, there was a man named Barabbas in prison. He was in prison with the rebels. These rebels were guilty of murder during a riot. ⁸The people came to Pilate and asked him to free a prisoner like he always did. ⁹Pilate asked the people, "Do you want me to free the king of the Jews?" ¹⁰Pilate knew that the leading priests had given Jesus to him because they were jealous of Jesus. ¹¹But the leading priests persuaded the people to ask Pilate to free Barabbas, not Jesus. ¹²Pilate asked the people again, "So what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?" ¹³The people shouted, "Kill him on a cross!" ¹⁴Pilate asked, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But the people shouted louder and louder, "Kill him on a cross!" ¹⁵Pilate wanted to please the people. So Pilate freed Barabbas for them. And Pilate told the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then Pilate gave Jesus to the soldiers to be killed on a cross. ¹⁶Pilate's soldiers brought Jesus into the governor's palace (called the Praetorium). They called all the other soldiers together. ¹⁷The soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus. Then they used thorny weeds to make a crown. They put the crown of thorns on Jesus' head. ¹⁸Then they called to Jesus. They said, "Hello, king of the Jews!" ¹⁹The soldiers hit Jesus on the head many times with a stick. They also spit on him. Then [they teased Jesus by] bowing on their knees and worshiping him. ²⁰After they finished teasing Jesus, the soldiers took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led Jesus out of the palace to be killed on a cross.

Passover An important Jewish holy day. The Jews ate a special meal on this day every year to remember that God freed them from slavery in Egypt in the time of Moses.