23:1 Then 1 the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus 2 before Pilate. 3 23:2 They 4 began to accuse 5 him, saying, “We found this man subverting 6 our nation, forbidding 7 us to pay the tribute tax 8 to Caesar 9 and claiming that he himself is Christ, 10 a king.” 23:3 So 11 Pilate asked Jesus, 12 “Are you the king 13 of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” 14 23:4 Then 15 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation 16 against this man.” 23:5 But they persisted 17 in saying, “He incites 18 the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” 19
23:6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 23:7 When 20 he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction, 21 he sent him over to Herod, 22 who also happened to be in Jerusalem 23 at that time. 23:8 When 24 Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform 25 some miraculous sign. 26 23:9 So 27 Herod 28 questioned him at considerable length; Jesus 29 gave him no answer. 23:10 The chief priests and the experts in the law 30 were there, vehemently accusing him. 31 23:11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, 32 dressing him in elegant clothes, 33 Herod 34 sent him back to Pilate. 23:12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other, 35 for prior to this they had been enemies. 36
23:13 Then 37 Pilate called together the chief priests, the 38 rulers, and the people, 23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading 39 the people. When I examined him before you, I 40 did not find this man guilty 41 of anything you accused him of doing. 23:15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing 42 deserving death. 43 23:16 I will therefore have him flogged 44 and release him.”
23:17 [[EMPTY]] 4523:18 But they all shouted out together, 46 “Take this man 47 away! Release Barabbas for us!” 23:19 (This 48 was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection 49 started in the city, and for murder.) 50 23:20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted 51 to release Jesus. 23:21 But they kept on shouting, 52 “Crucify, crucify 53 him!” 23:22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty 54 of no crime deserving death. 55 I will therefore flog 56 him and release him.”