From the house of Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Praetorium, and it was dawn. They themselves would not enter the Praetorium, in order that they might not be ceremonially defiled, but might be able to eat the Passover.

Lest

And although he wished to kill John, he feared the people, for they considered John a prophet.

"If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."

"And if we say, 'From man,' all the people will stone us, for they were persuaded that John was a prophet."

General references

Thereupon Herod sent secretly for the Magi, and found out from them the time when the star appeared.

Now it was the Governor's custom, during the Passover, to release to the people any one prisoner whom they selected.

Now at the time of the feast it was customary to release to them a prisoner, whatever one they asked for.

The high priest and the Scribes continually sought means to put him to death.