19 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
20 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man
unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
21 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.
22 I
will therefore chastise him, and release him.
23 (For of
necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
24 Then
Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Joshua, and said unto
him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
25 Joshua answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
26 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
27 Joshua
answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my
kingdom not from hence.
28 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Joshua answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
29 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate saith
unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the
Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
30 (Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
31 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the
insurrection.)
32 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
33 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man,
34 Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Joshua which is called Christ? and they said release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) and aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them.
35 Pilate therefore, willing to release Joshua
36 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.
37 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them.
38 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?
39 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify
him.
40 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.