Chapter 48
Jesus Sentenced to Death
Verse 1: Then Pilate then assembled the chief priests, the leaders, and with the people | Luke 23:13
2 and said, “You brought me this man as one who you said was inciting the people to rebellion, and here I have examined him as you have witnessed, and I cannot find this man guilty of your charges. | Luke 23:14
3 Neither did Herod either; for he sent him back to us. As you can see, he has done nothing deserving of death. | Luke 23:15
4 I shall therefore have him flogged and released, as I have said before.” | Luke 23:16
5 The soldiers took him into the palace courtyard (that is, the governor’s residence), and then they called together the whole cohort. | Mark 15:16
6 And the soldiers took off the robe Jesus was wearing, wove a crown of thorns and pushed it down onto his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. | John 19:2
7 They kept coming up to him, mocking him saying, “Hail, the King of the Jews!” and struck him repeatedly on the face. | John 19:3
8 They kept striking his head with a reed and spat upon him, and kneeing down in homage to him. | Mark 15:19
Barabbas or Jesus?
9 Now it was the governor's custom to release a prisoner for the crowd at the festival, anyone whom they wanted. | Matthew 27:15
10 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. | Matthew 27:16
11 Pilate went out again and told the crowd, “See, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know and understand that I find no case against him.” | John 19:4
12 Jesus came out bearing the crown of thorns and dressed in the purple robe. Pilate said to the crowd, “Look, here is the man!” | John 19:5
13 Pilate shouted to the crowd, “Whom shall I release to you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” | Matthew 27:17
14 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed him over. | Matthew 27:18
15 While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous and innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of him.” | Matthew 27:19
16 Earlier, the chief priests and the elders persuaded and threatened the crowds to demand for Barabbas to be released and have Jesus killed. | Matthew 27:20
17 The governor again said to the crowd, “Which of these two men do you desire me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” | Matthew 27:21
18 Then they all cried out together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas for us!” | Luke 23:18
19 (This was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection and revolt which had taken place in the city and for murder.) | Luke 23:19
20 Pilate said to them, “Well then what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They shouted even more the louder, “Let him be crucified!” | Matthew 27:22
21 Then Pilate asked, “Why, what evil has he committed?” But they cried out even harder, “Let him be crucified!” | Matthew 27:23
22 Pilate, thinking of his wife, wanting to release Jesus, addressed the crowd again, | Luke 23:20
23 but they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate replied to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.”. Pilate turned his back to the crowd and started to walk back inside. | Luke 23:21, John 19:6
24 The Jewish leaders answered him, “We have a law, and in accordance with that law he must die because he has declared himself to be the Son of God.” | John 19:7
25 When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever, he knew that the net had fully closed. | John 19:8
26 But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that Jesus should be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. | Luke 23:23
27 But Pilate knew now that what had been spoken in private had become a public accusation, and that every ear in that place had heard it. He turned and looked upon Jesus and still sought a way to release him, but the crowd pressed closer and the shouting did not cease.
28 He went back into his headquarters and asked Jesus again, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. | John 19:9
29 Pilate then said to him, “Why do you refuse to speak to me? Unbelievable! Do you not know that I have authority to either release you or to crucify you?” | John 19:10
30 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me unless it had been given to you from the ruler of this world; therefore the ones who delivered me over to you are guilty of a greater sin.” | John 19:11
31 From then on Pilate, tried to release him again but the chief priests and the crowd all cried out, “If you dare release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king sets himself in opposition against Caesar.” | John 19:12
32 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and then sat on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. | John 19:13
33 Then Pilate looked toward the place where Simon stood among the crowd, still bound, his eyes fixed upon the ground. And Simon did not look up.
34 He said to the crowd, “Then here is your King!” | John 19:14
35 And then he released the man they cried out for, the criminal who had been put in prison for insurrection, riots and murder. | Luke 23:25
36 The crowd started to cried out, “Away with Jesus! Away with him! Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked the chief priests, “Shall I crucify your King?” and they answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” | John 19:15
37 Pilate called for water and washed his hands before the crowd started to riot, saying, “I am not responsible for this man's blood. Take care of it yourselves.“ | Matthew 27:24
38 And so Pilate reluctantly decided that their demand should be granted. | Luke 23:24
39 Then he handed Jesus over to them to be crucified and the soldiers took him away. | John 19:16
40 Pilate also had a notice written and placed on the cross and it was written, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” | John 19:19
41 Many of the Jewish residents read this notice because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. | John 19:20
42 The chief priests of the temple complained to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but Pilate replied, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” | John 19:21
43 Pilate then said, “What I have written, I have written.” | John 19:22