Matthew
27: 11-26
Jesus Before Pilate
11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the
governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
12When he was accused by the chief
priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate
asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" 14But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the
great amazement of the governor.
15Now it was the governor's custom at
the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16At
that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17So
when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release
to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18For
he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19While Pilate was sitting on the
judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that
innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."
20But the chief priests and the elders
persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21"Which of the two do you want me
to release to you?" asked the governor.
"Barabbas," they answered.
22"What shall I do, then, with
Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"
23"Why? What crime has he
committed?" asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify
him!"
24When Pilate saw that he was getting
nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in
front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is
your responsibility!"
25All the people answered, "Let
his blood be on us and on our children!"
26Then he released Barabbas to them.
But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
