Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He ¹  called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time.

Then ¹  Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation ²  against this man.”

So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation ¹  do you bring against this man?” ² 

So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus ¹  Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” ² 

Early in the morning, after forming a plan, the chief priests with the elders and the experts in the law ¹  and the whole Sanhedrin tied Jesus up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² 

So ¹  Pilate asked him, “Are you the king ²  of the Jews?” He replied, ³  “You say so.” ⁴ 

So Pilate spoke to them again, ¹  “Then what do you want me to do ²  with the one you call king of the Jews?”

Because he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them. Then, ¹  after he had Jesus flogged, ²  he handed him over ³  to be crucified.

Now ¹  there were some present on that occasion who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² 

So ¹  Pilate asked Jesus, ²  “Are you the king ³  of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” ⁴ 

Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, ¹  dressing him in elegant clothes, ²  Herod ³  sent him back to Pilate.

That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other, ¹  for prior to this they had been enemies. ² 

So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence, ¹  summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” ² 

Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? ¹  Your own people ²  and your chief priests handed you over ³  to me. What have you done?”

Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders, ¹  “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation ²  against him.”

So Pilate said, ¹  “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority ²  to release you, and to crucify you?” ³ 

When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat ¹  in the place called “The Stone Pavement” ²  (Gabbatha in ³  Aramaic). ⁴ 

Pilate also had a notice ¹  written and fastened to the cross, ²  which read: ³  “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.”

I charge you ¹  before God who gives life to all things and Christ Jesus who made his good confession ²  before Pontius Pilate,

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders ¹ ), ²  asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate ³  gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. ⁴