Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. read more.
While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask [Pilate] to do for them as was his custom. So Pilate answered them, "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?" read more.
For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, "Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?" Again they shouted, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they shouted, "Crucify Him!" all the more. Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Then they all cried out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!" (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, read more.
but they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" A third time he said to them, "Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him whipped and [then] release Him." But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.



I will destine you for the sword,
and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered,
because I called and you did not answer,
I spoke and you did not hear;
you did what was evil in My sight
and chose what I did not delight in.

Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,

One slaughters an ox, one kills a man;
one sacrifices a lamb, one breaks a dog’s neck;
one offers a grain offering, one offers pig’s blood;
one offers incense, one praises an idol—
all these have chosen their ways
and delight in their detestable practices.

The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.


So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" read more.
The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

So Pilate answered them, "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?" For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. read more.
Pilate asked them again, "Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?" Again they shouted, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they shouted, "Crucify Him!" all the more. Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. read more.
Therefore I will have Him whipped; to discipline or "teach a lesson"; 1 Kg 12:11 , 14 LXX; 2 Ch 10:11 , 14 ; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio and [then] release Him." [ For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.] Then they all cried out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!" (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" A third time he said to them, "Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him whipped and [then] release Him." But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, "Here is your king!" But they shouted, "Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your king?" "We have no king but Caesar!" the chief priests answered. read more.
So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.


Your rulers are rebels,
friends of thieves.
They all love graft
and chase after bribes.
They do not defend the rights of the fatherless,
and the widow’s case never comes before them.

who acquit the guilty for a bribe
and deprive the innocent of justice.

Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:
the official and the judge demand a bribe;
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,
her priests teach for payment,
and her prophets practice divination for money.
Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,
“Isn’t the Lord among us?
No disaster will overtake us.”


Many seek a ruler’s favor,
but a man receives justice from the Lord.

Woe to those enacting crooked statutes and writing oppressive laws to keep the poor from getting a fair trial and to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice, so that widows can be their spoil and they can plunder the fatherless.

The princes within her are roaring lions;
her judges are wolves of the night,
which leave nothing for the morning.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward stated, "This man said, 'I can demolish God's sanctuary and rebuild it in three days.' " read more.
The high priest then stood up and said to Him, "Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?"

For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. read more.
The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes convened.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they could find none. For many were giving false testimony against Him, but the testimonies did not agree. Some stood up and were giving false testimony against Him, stating, read more.
"We heard Him say, 'I will demolish this sanctuary made by [human] hands, and in three days I will build another not made by hands.' " Yet their testimony did not agree even on this. Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, "Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?" But He kept silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest questioned Him, "Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus, "and all of you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven ." Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What is your decision?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. Then some began to spit on Him, to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, saying, "Prophesy!" Even the temple police took Him and slapped Him.


After they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, saying, "What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! But so this does not spread any further among the people, let's threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again." read more.
So they called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Then they induced men to say, "We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!" They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came up, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin. They also presented false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. read more.
For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him. After two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, and because he wished to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.


The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.

At the festival the governor’s custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted.

At the festival it was Pilate’s custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested.

[For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.]



So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" read more.
The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. read more.
Therefore I will have Him whipped; to discipline or "teach a lesson"; 1 Kg 12:11 , 14 LXX; 2 Ch 10:11 , 14 ; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio and [then] release Him." [ For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.] Then they all cried out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!" (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" A third time he said to them, "Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him whipped and [then] release Him." But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand

"What is truth?" said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I find no grounds for charging Him. You have a custom that I release one [prisoner] to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate responded, "Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him." "We have a law," the Jews replied to him, "and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. read more.
He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer. So Pilate said to Him, "You're not talking to me? Don't You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?" "You would have no authority over Me at all," Jesus answered him, "if it hadn't been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin." From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!" When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha).


I will destine you for the sword,
and all of you will kneel down to be slaughtered,
because I called and you did not answer,
I spoke and you did not hear;
you did what was evil in My sight
and chose what I did not delight in.

Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,

One slaughters an ox, one kills a man;
one sacrifices a lamb, one breaks a dog’s neck;
one offers a grain offering, one offers pig’s blood;
one offers incense, one praises an idol—
all these have chosen their ways
and delight in their detestable practices.

The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

“Barabbas!” they answered.


Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. read more.
Therefore I will have Him whipped; to discipline or "teach a lesson"; 1 Kg 12:11 , 14 LXX; 2 Ch 10:11 , 14 ; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio and [then] release Him." [ For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.] Then they all cried out together, "Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!" (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify Him!" A third time he said to them, "Why? What has this man done wrong? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have Him whipped and [then] release Him." But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices won out. So Pilate decided to grant their demand and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

At the festival the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" read more.
For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

At the festival it was Pilate's custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask [Pilate] to do for them as was his custom. read more.
So Pilate answered them, "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?" For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Pilate asked them again, "Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?" Again they shouted, "Crucify Him!" Then Pilate said to them, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they shouted, "Crucify Him!" all the more. Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

You have a custom that I release one [prisoner] to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldiers also twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and threw a purple robe around Him. And they repeatedly came up to Him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and were slapping His face. read more.
Pilate went outside again and said to them, "Look, I'm bringing Him outside to you to let you know I find no grounds for charging Him." Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate responded, "Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him." "We have a law," the Jews replied to him, "and according to that law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God." When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever. He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not give him an answer. So Pilate said to Him, "You're not talking to me? Don't You know that I have the authority to release You and the authority to crucify You?" "You would have no authority over Me at all," Jesus answered him, "if it hadn't been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin." From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!" When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge's bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, "Here is your king!" But they shouted, "Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Should I crucify your king?" "We have no king but Caesar!" the chief priests answered. So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified. Therefore they took Jesus away.


Then two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. One woman said, "Please my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was in the house. On the third day after I gave birth, she also had a baby and we were alone. No one else was with us in the house; just the two of us were there. read more.
During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while your servant was asleep. She laid him at her breast, and she put her dead son in my arms. When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, I discovered he was dead. That morning, when I looked closely at him I realized that he was not the son I gave birth to." "No," the other woman said. "My son is the living one; your son is the dead one." The first woman said, "No, your son is the dead one; my son is the living one." So they argued before the king. The king replied, "This woman says, 'This is my son who is alive, and your son is dead,' but that woman says, 'No, your son is dead, and my son is alive.' " The king continued, "Bring me a sword." So they brought the sword to the king. Solomon said, "Cut the living boy in two and give half to one and half to the other." The woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she felt great compassion for her son. "My lord, give her the living baby," she said, "but please don't have him killed!" But the other one said, "He will not be mine or yours. Cut [him in two]!" The king responded, "Give the living baby to the first woman, and don't kill him. She is his mother." All Israel heard about the judgment the king had given, and they stood in awe of the king because they saw that God's wisdom was in him to carry out justice.


Elisha said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, "Get ready, you and your household, and go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the Lord has announced a seven-year famine, and it has already come to the land." So the woman got ready and did what the man of God said. She and her household lived as foreigners in the land of the Philistines for seven years. When the woman returned from the land of the Philistines at the end of seven years, she went to appeal to the king for her house and field. read more.
The king had been speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Tell me all the great things Elisha has done." While he was telling the king how Elisha restored the dead [son] to life, the woman whose son he had restored to life came to appeal to the king for her house and field. So Gehazi said, "My lord the king, this is the woman and this is the son Elisha restored to life." When the king asked the woman, she told him the story. So the king appointed a court official for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, along with all the income from the field from the day she left the country until now."

He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, “What city are you from?” If he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

May Yahweh your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel, because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel. He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”

God, give Your justice to the king and Your righteousness to the king's son. He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, and the hills, righteousness. read more.
May he vindicate the afflicted among the people, help the poor, and crush the oppressor.

Now Jesus stood before the governor. "Are You the King of the Jews?" the governor asked Him. Jesus answered, "You have said it." And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn't answer. Then Pilate said to Him, "Don't You hear how much they are testifying against You?" read more.
But He didn't answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. At the festival the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

After he read it, he asked what province he was from. So when he learned he was from Cilicia, he said, "I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers get here too." And he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod's palace.

If then I am doing wrong, or have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" After Festus conferred with his council, he replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"



Now Jesus stood before the governor. "Are You the King of the Jews?" the governor asked Him. Jesus answered, "You have said it." And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He didn't answer. Then Pilate said to Him, "Don't You hear how much they are testifying against You?" read more.
But He didn't answer him on even one charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. At the festival the governor's custom was to release to the crowd a prisoner they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Who is it you want me to release for you-Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Messiah?" For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.