Jesus before Pilate
Jesus is brought to the Praetorium, Pilate asks for the charge, the leaders refuse to judge him themselves, and John notes that this fulfills Jesus' earlier word about his death.
T28hen they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover. 29So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?” 30“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.” 31“You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. 32“We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied. This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
Pilate questions Jesus about being king of the Jews, and Jesus answers by turning the question back toward its source and the handover from his own people.
33Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34“Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?” 35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
Jesus says his kingdom is not of this world and that his servants would fight if it were, then acknowledges his kingship before Pilate's reply.
36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said.
Pilate asks what truth is, goes back to the leaders, finds no case against Jesus, and offers the Passover release, but the crowd chooses Barabbas.
38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. 39And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him. But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)