14. He said to them, “You brought this man to me. You said that he was making trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of the things you say.
15. Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die.
16. So, after I punish him, I will let him go free.”
17. [Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.]
18. But all the people shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!”
19. (Barabbas was a man who was in prison because he started a riot in the city. He was guilty of murder.)
20. Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So he told this to the crowd.
21. But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”
22. A third time Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free.”
23. But they continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on the cross. Their yelling became so loud that
24. Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.
25. They wanted Barabbas to go free, the man who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder. Pilate let Barabbas go free and gave Jesus to them to be killed.
26. The soldiers led Jesus away. At that time, there was a man coming into the city from the fields. His name was Simon, and he was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced Simon to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.
27. A large crowd of people was following Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying.