This made Pilate anxious to release him, but the Jews yelled, "If you release him, you are no friend of Caesar's! Anyone who makes himself a king is against Caesar!"
"So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
They proceeded to accuse him, saying, "We have discovered this fellow perverting our nation, forbidding tribute being paid to Caesar, and alleging he is king messiah."