Mark 15:1-15

Early in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), immediately consulted together; and they bound Jesus, they took Him away [violently] and handed Him over to Pilate. [Is 53:8] Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He replied to him, “It is as you say.” [Matt 27:11-14; Luke 23:2, 3; John 18:29-37] The chief priests began accusing Him of many things. Then Pilate again asked Him, “Have You no answer [to give]? See how many charges they are bringing against You!” But Jesus gave no further answer; so Pilate was perplexed. [Is 53:7] Now at the [Passover] feast Pilate used to set free for them any one prisoner whom they requested. [Matt 27:15-26; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:39-19:16] The man called Barabbas was imprisoned with the insurrectionists (revolutionaries) who had committed murder in the civil rebellion. The crowd came up and began asking Pilate to do as he usually did for them. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to set free for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had turned Jesus over to him because of envy and resentment. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get him to release Barabbas for them instead. Again Pilate answered, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” They screamed back, “Crucify Him!” But Pilate asked them, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they screamed all the more, “Crucify Him!” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, set Barabbas free for them; and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over [to his soldiers] to be crucified. [Is 53:5]