The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

15 ^qNow at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

7 And among the rebels in prison, who had ⁿcommitted murder ^oin the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and ^uthe rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man ^vas one who was misleading the people. And ^wafter examining him before you, behold, I ^xdid not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for ^yhe sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 ^zI will therefore punish and release him.”¹

39 ^oBut you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or ^rJesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out ^sof envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on ^tthe judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with ^uthat righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today ^vin a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ^wask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.