John 19:1-16 - Pilate Attempts To Release Jesus

¹ Then Pilate took and scourged Jesus. ² And the soldiers having plaited a crown of thorns put it on his head; and they put a purple garment about him, ³ and came to him and said, Hail, king of the Jews! And they struck him with the open hand.

⁴ Then Pilate came out again and said to them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him.

⁵ Then Jesus came out, wearing the thorny crown and the purple garment. And he said to them, Behold the man!

⁶ When therefore the chief priests and officers saw him, they cried, saying, Crucify him! crucify him! Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no fault in him.

⁷ The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God.

⁸ When therefore Pilate heard this charge he was more afraid, ⁹ and entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, Whence are you? But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ Pilate said to him, Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and I have power to crucify you?

¹¹ Jesus answered, You would have had no power against me if it had not been given you from above; therefore he that delivered me to you has a greater sin.

¹² From that time Pilate sought to release him; but the Jews cried, saying, If you release this man you are not a friend of Caesar; every one who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.

¹³ Then Pilate hearing these words led Jesus out, and sat on the tribunal, in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ And it was the preparation of the passover, it was about the sixth hour [noon]; and he said to the Jews, Behold your king!

¹⁵ Then they cried out, Away with him, away with him! crucify him! Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

¹⁶ Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified.