(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.
But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.
But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
“Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”
You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.