12. Pilate and Herod became friends with each other that day. Before this, they had been enemies.
13. Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people.
14. He said to them, "You brought this man before me as one who was misleading the people. I have questioned him in your presence and found nothing in this man’s conduct that provides a legal basis for the charges you have brought against him.
15. Neither did Herod, because Herod returned him to us. He’s done nothing that deserves death.
16. Therefore, I’ll have him whipped, then let him go."
18. But with one voice they shouted, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us." (
19. Barabbas had been thrown into prison because of a riot that had occurred in the city, and for murder.)
20. Pilate addressed them again because he wanted to release Jesus.
21. They kept shouting out, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22. For the third time, Pilate said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I’ve found no legal basis for the death penalty in his case. Therefore, I will have him whipped, then let him go."
23. But they were adamant, shouting their demand that Jesus be crucified. Their voices won out.
24. Pilate issued his decision to grant their request.
25. He released the one they asked for, who had been thrown into prison because of a riot and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.
26. As they led Jesus away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, who was coming in from the countryside. They put the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.
27. A huge crowd of people followed Jesus, including women, who were mourning and wailing for him.
28. Jesus turned to the women and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Rather, cry for yourselves and your children.
29. The time will come when they will say, ‘Happy are those who are unable to become pregnant, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed a child.’