The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

(Matthew 27:15–23; Luke 23:13–25)

6 Now {it was Pilate’s custom} at [the] feast to release to [the people][fn] a prisoner of their choosing. 7 And [a man] named Barabbas was imprisoned with his fellow rebels[fn] who had committed murder during the insurrection. 8 [So] the crowd cried out[fn] [and] began asking [Pilate] to keep his custom.

9 “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. 10 For he knew [it was] out of envy that the chief priests had handed [Jesus] over.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.