Bible Verses About The Roman Empire: Power of life and death vested in its authorities

Pilate said to them, “You take him and judge him according to your own law.” The Judeans replied, “We don’t have the legal power to put anyone to death.”

However, you have a custom that at Passover I set one prisoner free. Do you want me to set free for you the ‘king of the Jews’?”

But they yelled back, “No, not this man but Bar-Abba!” (Bar-Abba was a revolutionary.)

So Pilate said to him, “You refuse to speak to me? Don’t you understand that it is in my power either to set you free or to have you executed on the stake?”