"In two days, as you know, it will be the Passover Festival, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."

"We must not do it during the festival," they said, "or the people will riot."

At every Passover Festival the Roman governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner the crowd asked for.

So I will have him whipped and let him go."

OMITTED TEXT

But according to the custom you have, I always set free a prisoner for you during the Passover. Do you want me to set free for you the king of the Jews?"

They answered him with a shout, "No, not him! We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a bandit.)

After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix as governor. Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jews so he left Paul in prison.

But Festus wanted to gain favor with the Jews, so he asked Paul, "Would you be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?"