Matthew 27:15-26 - Pilate Releases Barabbas

¹⁵ Now during a feast the governor had been accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom do ye want I should release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? ¹⁸ For he knew that they delivered him up because of envy.

¹⁹ And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, There is nothing for thee and that righteous man. For I suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. ²¹ Now the governor having answered, he said to them, Which of the two do ye want I would release to you? And they said, Barabbas.

²² Pilate says to them, What then shall I do to Jesus who is called Christ? They all say to him, He should be crucified.

²³ And the governor said, For what evil has he done? But they cried out even more, saying, He should be crucified.

²⁴ And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather an uproar was developing, after taking water, he washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. See ye to it.

²⁵ And having answered, all the people said, His blood be on us, and on our children. ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus he delivered him so that he would be crucified.

⁶ Now during a feast he released to them one prisoner, whomever they requested. ⁷ And a man who was called Barabbas was with the rebels who were bound, men who had committed murder during the insurrection. ⁸ And having cried aloud, the multitude began to ask as he was always doing for them. ⁹ And Pilate answered them, saying, Do ye wish that I would release to you the king of the Jews? ¹⁰ For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up because of envy. ¹¹ But the chief priests incited the crowd, so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

¹² And again having answered, Pilate said to them, What then do ye wish I would do to the man whom ye call the king of the Jews?

¹³ And they cried out again, Crucify him.

¹⁴ And Pilate said to them, For what evil has he done? But they cried out even more, Crucify him.

¹⁵ And Pilate, wanting to do what was sufficent for the crowd, released Barabbas to them. And he delivered Jesus, after scourging, so that he might be crucified.

¹³ And Pilate having called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, ¹⁴ said to them, Ye brought this man to me as turning away the people. And behold, I, having examined him before you, found nothing guilty in this man of what ye accuse against him. ¹⁵ But not even Herod, for I sent you back to him, and lo, nothing having been done by him is worthy of death. ¹⁶ Therefore, having scourged I will release him. ¹⁷ Now he had need to release one man to them at every feast.

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, Take away this man, and release to us Barabbas ¹⁹ (a man who was cast into prison because of a certain insurrection that occurred in the city, and for murder).

²⁰ Again therefore Pilate called out wanting to release Jesus, ²¹ but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.

²² And he said to them a third time, For what evil did this man do? I have found nothing guilty of death in him. I will therefore, having scourged, release him.

²³ But they were relentless with loud voices demanding him to be crucified. And their voices and those of the chief priests prevailed. ²⁴ And Pilate decreed their request to happen. ²⁵ And he released the man who had been cast into prison because of insurrection and murder, whom they asked for, but he delivered Jesus to their will.