Mark 15:7-20

The man called Barabbas was imprisoned with the insurrectionists (revolutionaries) who had committed murder in the civil rebellion. The crowd came up and began asking Pilate to do as he usually did for them. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to set free for you the King of the Jews?” For he was aware that the chief priests had turned Jesus over to him because of envy and resentment. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get him to release Barabbas for them instead. Again Pilate answered, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” They screamed back, “Crucify Him!” But Pilate asked them, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they screamed all the more, “Crucify Him!” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, set Barabbas free for them; and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over [to his soldiers] to be crucified. [Is 53:5] The soldiers led Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the entire [Roman] battalion [of 600 soldiers]. [Matt 27:27-31] They dressed Him up in [a ranking Roman officer’s robe of] purple, and after twisting [together] a crown of thorns, they placed it on Him; and they began saluting and mocking Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” They kept beating Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing in [mock] homage to Him. [Is 50:6] After they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. And they led Him out [of the city] to crucify Him.