John 18:28-40

28Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

29So Pilate came out to them and said, “What charge do you bring against this man?”

30They answered him, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”

31Pilate told them, “You take him and judge him according to your law.” “It’s not legal for us to put anyone to death,” the Jews declared.

32They said this so that Jesus’s words might be fulfilled indicating what kind of death he was going to die.

33Then Pilate went back into the headquarters, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

34Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own, or have others told you about me?”

35“I’m not a Jew, am I?” Pilate replied. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”

36“My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

37“You are a king then?” Pilate asked. “You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

38“What is truth?” said Pilate. After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him.

39You have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at the Passover. So, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

40They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.