Daily Bread

Jesus Before Pilate^(A)

¹¹ Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(B)

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

¹² When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.^{(C) 13} Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?”^{(D) 14} But Jesus made no reply,^(E) not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner^(F) chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus^[a] Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{(G) 18} For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,^(H) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent^(I) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream^(J) because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.^(K)

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 the Messiah?”^(L) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar^(M) was starting, he took water and washed his hands^(N) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”^(O) he said. “It is your responsibility!”^(P)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”^(Q)

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged,^(R) and handed him over to be crucified.