The crowd came up and asked Pilate to release a prisoner for them as usual.
Every year at the Passover Feast the governor would let one prisoner go free. The people could choose the one they wanted.
Jesus left that place and went into the area of Judea on the other side of the Jordan River. Crowds of people came to him once again, and he taught them as he always did.
A man named Barabbas was in prison with some others who had committed murder in a rebellion against Rome.
“Do you want me to let the king of the Jews go free?” asked Pilate.