9. Herod asked him many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
10. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there. With loud shouts they brought charges against him.
11. Herod and his soldiers laughed at him and made fun of him. They dressed him in a beautiful robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate.
12. That day Herod and Pilate became friends. Before this time they had been enemies.
13. Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people.
14. He said to them, "You brought me this man. You said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you. I have found no basis for your charges against him.
15. Herod hasn't either. So he sent Jesus back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing that is worthy of death.
16-17. So I will just have him whipped and let him go."
18. With one voice the crowd cried out, "Kill this man! Give Barabbas to us!"
19. Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder.
20. Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. So he made an appeal to the crowd again.
21. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22. Pilate spoke to them for the third time. "Why?" he asked. "What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go."
23. But with loud shouts they kept calling for Jesus to be crucified. The people's shouts won out.
24. So Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.
25. He set free the man they asked for. The man had been thrown in prison for murder and for fighting against the authorities. Pilate gave Jesus over to them so they could carry out their plans.