John 19:1-16 - Pilate Attempts To Release Jesus
1 THEN Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 2 And the soldiers having platted a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe, 3 and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they gave him slaps on the face with their hands.
4 Then again went Pilate out, and said to them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find in him no fault at all.
5 Then came Jesus out, bearing the thorny crown, and the purple robe. And he said to them, Behold the man!
6 When the chief priests therefore and the officers saw him, they cried vociferously, saying, Crucify him! crucify him! Pilate saith to them, Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I have not found in him a fault.
7 The Jews replied to him, We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because he hath made himself the Son of God.
8 When Pilate then heard this saying, he was the more afraid: 9 and entered into the praetorium again, and saith to Jesus, From whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then saith Pilate to him, Dost thou not speak to me? dost thou not know that I have power to crucify thee, and that I have power to release thee?
11 Jesus answered, Thou wouldest have had no authority over me, unless it had been given thee from above: for this reason, he that hath delivered me up to thee hath the greater crime.
12 Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews clamoured, saying, If thou release this fellow, thou art no friend of Caesar's: every one who professes himself a king, speaks in opposition to Caesar.
13 When Pilate therefore heard this speech, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat, in a place called the Stone Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith to the Jews, Behold your King!
15 But they cried vociferously, Away with him, away! crucify him! Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them, that he should be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away.