Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Matthew 27
¹⁹ Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”
²⁰ Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
²¹ So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”
²² Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!”
²³ “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”
²⁴ Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”
²⁵ And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”
²⁶ So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
²⁷ Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment.
²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
²⁹ They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”