The Life of Jesus

While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came down

and saw him warming himself there. She looked at Peter and said, “You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.”

But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.

There the servant girl saw him and again said to those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.”

But he denied it again. After a little while, those standing nearby said once more to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean.”

But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!”

And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.

So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.

Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”

But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.

Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.

And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.

So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.

“Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.

For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”

“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”

And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.

They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.

And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”