Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we’re not allowed to put anyone to death,” they responded.
But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Should I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “The only king we have is Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
“He’s a criminal,” they answered. “If he weren’t, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.”
This happened so that what Jesus had said about how he was going to die would come true.