Before Pilate & Herod

¹When the morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. ²And when they had bound him, they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

³Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself regretted it and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said unto him, What is that to us? You see to it; your sins be upon you. ⁵And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself on a tree. And immediately he fell down, and his bowels gushed out, and he died.

⁶And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. ⁷And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. ⁸Wherefore, that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. ⁹Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value. ¹⁰And therefore they took the pieces of silver and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me by the mouth of Jeremiah.

¹¹And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Are you the king of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, You say truly, for thus it is written of me. ¹²And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. ¹³Then said Pilate unto him, Do you not hear how many things they witness against you? ¹⁴And he answered him not to his questions; yea, never a word, insomuch that the governor marveled greatly.

¹⁵Now at the feast, the governor was accustomed to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they desired. ¹⁶And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom do you desire that I release unto you? Barabbas? Or Jesus who is called Christ? ¹⁸(For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. ¹⁹When he was seated on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream vision because of him.)

²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹And the governor said unto them, Which of the two do you desire that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. ²²Pilate said unto them, What shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? And all said unto him, Let him be crucified. ²³And the governor said, Why? What evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified! ²⁴When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it. See that you do nothing unto him. ²⁵Then answered all the people and said, His blood come on us and our children. ²⁶Then he released Barabbas unto them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

¹And immediately in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes. And the whole council condemned him and bound him, and carried him away and delivered him to Pilate. ²And Pilate asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? And Jesus, answering, said unto him, Thou sayest it. I am even as you say. ³And the chief priests accused him of many things, but he answered nothing. ⁴And Pilate asked him again, saying, You answer nothing? Behold how many things they witness against you. ⁵But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

⁶Now at that feast he released it was common at the feast for Pilate to release unto them one prisoner, whomever they desired. ⁷And there was a man named Barabbas, bound with them who had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. ⁸And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them to deliver Jesus unto them. ⁹But Pilate answered unto them, saying, Do you desire that I release unto you the king of the Jews? ¹⁰For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. ¹¹But the chief priests moved the people that he should rather release Barabbas unto them, as he had before done unto them. ¹²And Pilate spoke again, and said unto them, What do you desire then that I shall do with him whom you call the king of the Jews? ¹³And they cried out again, Deliver him unto us to be crucified! Away with him! Crucify him! ¹⁴Then Pilate said unto them, Why? What evil has he done? But they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him! ¹⁵And now Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

¹And the whole multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king. ³And Pilate asked him, saying, Are you the king of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Yea, you say it. ⁴Then said Pilate to the chief priests and people, I find no fault in this man. ⁵And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. ⁶When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

⁸And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he was desirous of a long time to see him because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. ⁹Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing. ¹⁰And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. ¹¹And Herod, with his men of war, despised him and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. ¹²And the same day, Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before this, they were at enmity between themselves.

¹³And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, ¹⁴said unto them, You have brought this man unto me as one who perverts the people; and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man, touching those things whereof you accuse him. ¹⁵No, nor yet Herod, for I sent you to him and, behold, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. ¹⁶I will therefore chastise him and release him — ¹⁷for of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast. ¹⁸But they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man and release unto us Barabbas! — ¹⁹who, for a certain sedition made in the city and for murder, was cast into prison. ²⁰Pilate, therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. ²¹But they cried, saying, Crucify him! Crucify him! ²²And he said unto them the third time, Why? What evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and let him go. ²³And they were insistent in loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. ²⁴And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

²⁵And he released unto them him who, for sedition and murder, was cast into prison, whom they had desired, but he and delivered Jesus to their will.

²⁸Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment, and it was early. And they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover. ²⁹Pilate then went out unto them and said, What accusation do you bring against this man? ³⁰They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto you. ³¹Then said Pilate unto them, Take him and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death — ³²that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke signifying what death he should die.

³³Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto him, Are you the king of the Jews? ³⁴Jesus answered him, Do you say this thing of yourself? Or did others tell it to you of me? ³⁵Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you unto me. What have you done? ³⁶Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from here. ³⁷Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king; to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world — that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice. ³⁸Pilate says unto him, What is truth?

And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and says unto them, I find in him no fault at all; ³⁹but you have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover. Do you desire therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews? ⁴⁰Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas! (Now Barabbas was a robber.) ¹Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him. ²And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe ³and said, Hail, king of the Jews! And they smote him with their hands.

⁴Pilate therefore went forth again, and says unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you that you may know that I find no fault in him. ⁵Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate says unto them, Behold the man! ⁶When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him! Pilate says unto them, Take him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him. ⁷The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God.

⁸When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid, ⁹and went again into the judgment hall, and says unto Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰Then says Pilate unto him, You do not speak unto me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you? And have power to release you? ¹¹Jesus answered, You could have no power at all against me except it were given you from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto you has the greater sin. ¹²And from that time forth, Pilate sought to release him.

But the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend! Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar! ¹³When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement (but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha). ¹⁴And it was the preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour, and he says unto the Jews, Behold your king! ¹⁵But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate says unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. ¹⁶Then he delivered him therefore unto them to be crucified.

And they took Jesus and led him away.