The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
Take care of them until the 14th day of the month. Then the whole community of Israel must kill them when the sun goes down.
It was the governor’s practice at the Passover Feast to let one prisoner go free. The people could choose the one they wanted.
Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again crowds of people came to him. As usual, he taught them.
A man named Barabbas was in prison. He was there with some other people who had fought against the country’s rulers. They had committed murder while they were fighting against the rulers.
“Do you want me to let the king of the Jews go free?” asked Pilate.