A. Pilate comes out, Jewish leaders demand Jesus’ execution (the passover is near)

28. Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence.
    (It was now very early morning.) They did not enter the governor’s residence
    so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal.
29. So Pilate came outside to them
    and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”
30. They replied, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have handed him over to you.”
31. Pilate told them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law!”
    The Jewish leaders replied, “We cannot legally put anyone to death.”
32. This happened to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated what kind of death he was going to die.

B. Pilate goes in and Questions Jesus about being a king

33. So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence,
    and summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34. Jesus replied, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or have others told you about me?”
35. Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
36. Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
37. Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!”
    Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
38. Pilate asked, “What is truth?”

C. Pilate comes out and tells Jewish leaders “I find no fault”

• When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders
  and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him. ³⁹But it is your custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?”

40. Then they shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

C’. Pilate comes out and tells Jewish leaders “I find no fault”

4. Again Pilate went out and he said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation against him.”
5. So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.
   Pilate said to them, “Look, here is the man!”
6. When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
   Pilate said, “You take him and crucify him! Certainly I find no reason for an accusation against him!”
7. The Jewish leaders replied, “We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”
8. When Pilate heard what they said, he was more afraid than ever.

B’. Pilate goes in and Questions Jesus about being God

9. and he went back into the governor’s residence and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?”
   But Jesus gave him no answer
10. So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me?
    Don’t you know I have the authority to release you, and to crucify you?”
11. Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above.
    Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
12. From this point on, Pilate tried to release him.

A’. Pilate comes out, Jewish leaders granted Jesus’ execution (the passover is near)

• But the Jewish leaders shouted out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar!
  Everyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar!”

13. When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat in the place called “The Stone Pavement” (Gabbatha in Aramaic).
14. (Now it was the day of preparation during Passover, about noon.)
    Pilate said to the Jewish leaders, “Look, here is your king!”
15. Then they shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!”
    Pilate asked, “Shall I crucify your king?”
    The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!”
16. Then Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.