And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this Man perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."
took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and they were crying out, "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!"
Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
From this point Pilate was seeking to release Him, but the Jews kept crying out, saying, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar's. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."