And he said unto them a third time, "Why, what evil hath this man
done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise
and release him."
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
And the soldiers led him away within the court, which is the
Prætorium; and they call together the whole band.
And they stripped him, and arrayed him in a purple garment. And they
platted a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his
right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying:
"Hail, King of the Jews!" and they struck him with their hands. And
they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him upon the head.
And Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, "Behold, I bring him
out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him."
Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple
garment. And Pilate saith unto them, "Behold, the man!"
When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried
out, saying, "Crucify him, crucify him!"
Pilate saith unto them, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I
find no crime in him."
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to
die, because he made himself the Son of God."
When Pilate therefore heard this saying, he was the more afraid; and
he entered into the Prætorium again, and saith unto Jesus, "Whence art
thou?"
But Jesus gave him no answer.
Pilate therefore saith unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest
thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to crucify
thee?"
Jesus answered him, "Thou wouldest have no power against me, except it
were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee
hath greater sin."
Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out,
saying, "If thou release this man, thou art not Cæsar's friend: every
one that maketh himself a king speaketh against Cæsar."
When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat
down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in
Hebrew, Gabbatha.
And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him,
saying, "Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have
suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."
Now it was the Preparation of the passover: it was about the sixth
hour. And he saith unto the Jews, "Behold, your King."