3. Judas, who had handed him over, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to die. He felt deep shame and sadness for what he had done. So he returned the 30 silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4. "I have sinned," he said. "I handed over a man who is not guilty." "What do we care?" they replied. "That's your problem."
5. So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6. The chief priests picked up the coins. They said, "It's against the law to put this money into the temple fund. It is blood money. It has paid for a man's death."
7. So they decided to use the money to buy a potter's field. People from other countries would be buried there.
8. That is why it has been called The Field of Blood to this very day.
9. Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet came true. He had said, "They took the 30 silver coins. That price was set for him by the people of Israel.
10. They used the coins to buy a potter's field, just as the Lord commanded me." (Zechariah 11:12,13; Jeremiah 19:1-13; 32:6-9)
11. Jesus was standing in front of the governor. The governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes. It is just as you say," Jesus replied.
12. But when the chief priests and the elders brought charges against him, he did not answer.
13. Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the charges they are bringing against you?"
14. But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge. The governor was really amazed.
15. It was the governor's practice at the Passover Feast to let one prisoner go free. The people could choose the one they wanted.
16. At that time they had a well-known prisoner named Barabbas.