24. Pilate saw that he wasn't getting anywhere. Instead, the crowd was starting to get angry. So he took water and washed his hands in front of them. "I am not guilty of this man's death," he said. "You are accountable for that!"
25. All the people answered, "We and our children will accept the guilt for his death!"
26. Pilate let Barabbas go free. But he had Jesus whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross.
27. The governor's soldiers took Jesus into the palace, which was called the Praetorium. All the rest of the soldiers gathered around him.
28. They took off his clothes and put a purple robe on him.
29. Then they twisted thorns together to make a crown. They placed it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they fell on their knees in front of him and made fun of him. "We honor you, king of the Jews!" they said.
30. They spit on him. They hit him on the head with the stick again and again.
31. After they had made fun of him, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to nail him to a cross.
32. On their way out of the city, they met a man from Cyrene. His name was Simon. They forced him to carry the cross.