A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.
He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas.
Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested.
The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.