John 18:28-19:16

Tree of Life Version

²⁸ Then they led Yeshua from Caiaphas to the Praetorium.^[a] It was early. They themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so they would not become unclean but might eat the Passover. ²⁹ Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”

³⁰ They answered, “If He weren’t an evildoer, we wouldn’t have handed Him over to you.”

³¹ Then Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him by your Torah!”

The Judean leaders responded, “We are not authorized to put anyone to death.” ³² This happened so that the word Yeshua spoke would be fulfilled, signifying what kind of death He was about to die.

³³ So Pilate went back into the Praetorium, called for Yeshua, and asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ “Are you saying this on your own,” Yeshua answered, “or did others tell you about Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and ruling kohanim handed You over to me! What have You done?”

³⁶ Yeshua answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Judean leaders. But as it is, My kingdom is not from here.”

³⁷ So Pilate said to Him, “Are you a king, then?”

Yeshua answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, so that I might testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” After he said this, he went out again to the Judean leaders. He said to them, “I find no case against Him. ³⁹ But it’s your custom that I release someone for you at Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “Not this One, but Bar-Abba!” Now Bar-Abba^[b] was a revolutionary.

Bound and Sentenced

19 Then Pilate took Yeshua and had Him scourged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe. ³ They kept coming up to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him over and over.

⁴ Pilate came out again. He said to them, “Look, I’m bringing Him out to you, to let you know that I find no case against Him.” ⁵ So Yeshua came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. “Behold, the Man!” Pilate said to them.

⁶ When the ruling kohanim and officers saw Him, they yelled out, “Execute Him! Execute Him!”^[c]

Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and execute Him! For I don’t find a case against Him.”

⁷ The Judean leaders answered him, “We have a law,^[d] and according to the Torah He must die, because He claimed to be Ben-Elohim!”

⁸ When Pilate heard this word, he became even more fearful. ⁹ He went into the Praetorium again and said to Yeshua, “Where are You from?” But Yeshua gave him no answer. ¹⁰ So Pilate said to Him, “You aren’t speaking to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You, and I have the authority to crucify You?”

¹¹ Yeshua answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. For this reason, the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”

¹² Pilate tried to let Him go after this; but the Judean leaders cried out, saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”

¹³ So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Yeshua out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Aramaic,^[e] Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the Day of Preparation for Passover, about the sixth hour.^[f] And Pilate said to the Judean leaders, “Behold, your king!”

¹⁵ They shouted back, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Execute Him!”

Pilate said to them, “Should I execute your king?”

The ruling kohanim answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

¹⁶ Finally, Pilate handed Yeshua over to be crucified.