15. Every year at the time of Passover the governor would free one person from prison. This was always a person the people wanted to be set free.
16. At that time there was a man in prison who was known to be very bad. His name was Barabbas.
17. All the people gathered at Pilate’s house. Pilate said, “Which man do you want me to free: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?”
18. Pilate knew that they gave Jesus to him because they were jealous.
19. Pilate said these things while he was sitting on the judge’s seat. While he was sitting there, his wife sent a message to him. The message said, “Don’t do anything to that man. He is not guilty. Today I had a dream about him, and it troubled me very much.”
20. But the leading priests and elders told the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and for Jesus to be killed.
21. Pilate said, “I have Barabbas and Jesus. Which do you want me to set free for you?”The people answered, “Barabbas!”
22. Pilate asked, “What should I do with Jesus, the one called the Christ?”They all answered, “Kill him on a cross!”
23. Pilate asked, “Why do you want me to kill him? What wrong has he done?”But they shouted louder, “Kill him on a cross!”
24. Pilate saw that he could do nothing about this, and a riot was starting. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. Then he said, “I am not guilty of this man’s death. You are the ones who are causing it!”
25. All the people answered, “We will be responsible. We accept for ourselves and for our children any punishment for his death.”
26. Then Pilate freed Barabbas. Pilate told some of the soldiers to beat Jesus with whips. Then he gave Jesus to the soldiers to be killed on a cross.