Jesus Is Taken to Governor Pilate (Mk. 15:1; Lk. 23:1-2; Jn. 18:28-32)

27 ¹Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people decided to kill Jesus. ²They tied Jesus with chains. Then they led him to Pilate the governor. They gave Jesus to Pilate.

Judas Kills Himself (Acts 1:18-19)

³Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. Judas was the one that gave Jesus [to his enemies]. When Judas saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he did. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the priests and the leaders. ⁴Judas said, "I sinned. I gave you an innocent man to be killed." The Jewish leaders answered, "We don't care! That's a problem for you, not us." ⁵So Judas threw the money into the temple. Then Judas left that place and hanged himself. ⁶The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the temple. They said, "Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the temple money, because this money has paid for a man's death." ⁷So they decided to use the money to buy a field called Potter's Field. This field would be a place to bury people that died while visiting [in Jerusalem]. ⁸That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. ⁹So the thing happened that Jeremiah the prophet* said:

"They took 30 silver coins. That was how much the Jewish people decided to pay for his life. ¹⁰They used those 30 silver coins to buy the potter's field, like the Lord commanded me."*

Governor Pilate Questions Jesus (Mk. 15:2-5; Lk. 23:3-5; Jn. 18:33-38)

¹¹Jesus stood before Pilate the governor. Pilate asked him questions. He said, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Yes, I am." ¹²When the leading priests and the older Jewish leaders accused Jesus, he said nothing. ¹³So Pilate said to Jesus, "You hear these people accusing you of all these things. Why don't you answer?" ¹⁴But Jesus said nothing to answer Pilate. Pilate was very surprised at this.

Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus (Mk. 15:6-15; Lk. 23:13-25; Jn. 18:39-19:16)

¹⁵Every year at the Passover* time the governor would free one person from the prison. This was always a person that the people wanted to be made free. ¹⁶At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.* ¹⁷All the people gathered at Pilate's house. Pilate asked the people, "I will free one man for you. Which man do you want me to free: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ*?" ¹⁸Pilate knew that the people gave Jesus to him because the people were jealous. ¹⁹Pilate said these things while he was sitting in the place for judging. While he was sitting there, his wife sent a message to him. The message said, "Don't do anything with that man (Jesus). He is not guilty. And today I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much." ²⁰But the leading priests and older Jewish leaders told the people to ask for Barabbas to be made free and for Jesus to be killed. ²¹Pilate said, "I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which do you want me to make free for you?" The people answered, "Barabbas!" ²²Pilate asked, "So what should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ*?" All the people answered, "Kill him on a cross!" ²³Pilate asked, "Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?" But all the people shouted louder, "Kill him on a cross!" ²⁴Pilate saw that he could do nothing to make the people change. And he saw that the people were becoming upset. So Pilate took some water and washed his hands* so that all the people could see. Then Pilate said, "I am not guilty of this man's death. You are the ones that are doing it!" ²⁵All the people answered, "We will be responsible for his death. We accept for ourselves and for our children any punishment for his death." ²⁶Then Pilate freed Barabbas. Pilate told some soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then Pilate gave Jesus to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.

prophet A person that spoke for God. Sometimes a prophet told things that would happen in the future. "They took ... me" See Zech. 11:12-13; Jer. 32:6-9. Passover Important Jewish holy day. They ate a special meal on this day every year to remember that God freed them from slavery in Egypt in the time of Moses. Barabbas In some Greek copies the name is Jesus Barabbas. Christ The "anointed one" (Messiah) or chosen one of God. washed his hands Pilate did this as a sign to show that he wanted no part in what the people did.