(Barabbas had been thrown into prison because he’d led a revolt in the city against the authorities, during which he had committed murder.)
You spoke against the Holy and Blameless One, and you asked for a murderer to be set free instead.
But they insisted, “His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
They began to make accusations against him. They said, “We’ve found this man leading our people astray. He says they shouldn’t pay taxes to Caesar, and he claims to be the Messiah—a king.”
A man named Barabbas was in prison with some others who had committed murder in a rebellion against Rome.
But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill this man! Let Barabbas go instead!”
Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to the crowd again.
“Aren’t you that Egyptian who started a revolt and led 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?”