where they began to accuse him: "We caught this man misleading our people, telling them not to pay taxes to the Emperor and claiming that he himself is the Messiah, a king."

But they insisted even more strongly, "With his teaching he is starting a riot among the people all through Judea. He began in Galilee and now has come here."

At that time a man named Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder in the riot.

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

"Now here is the king you chose; you asked for him, and now the LORD has given him to you.

At every Passover Festival Pilate was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner the people asked for.

He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer.

Then Pilate set Barabbas free for them; and after he had Jesus whipped, he handed him over to be crucified.

Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed him over to be crucified.