Before Pilate and Herod
Life of Jesus · Draft · BSB
Content revision: ecd545ab75c4e937 · No editorial review date recorded
Date: Final Passover through resurrection appearances. The crucifixion is commonly dated to AD 30 or 33. The closing stop extends through the forty-day appearance period in Acts; the whole group is not one eight-day interval.
Before Pilate, Jesus faces questions about kingship and accusations from his opponents. Luke also records a hearing before Herod. Pilate releases Barabbas, has Jesus punished and hands him over for crucifixion.
Pilate’s statements of reluctance do not remove his responsibility for the sentence. Matthew’s crowd language must not be extended to all Jewish people or later generations. John’s preparation-day wording also cautions against a falsely precise combined Passover timetable.
Primary Scripture
27:11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
27:12 And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
27:13 Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
27:14 But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
27:15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.
27:16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
27:17 So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
27:18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
27:21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they replied.
27:22 “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
27:23 “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
27:25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
27:26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
27:27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him.
27:28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
27:29 And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
27:30 Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.
27:31 After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.
15:1 Early in the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin devised a plan. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate.
15:2 So Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
15:3 And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things.
15:4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Have You no answer? Look how many charges they are bringing against You!”
15:5 But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no further reply.
15:6 Now it was Pilate’s custom at the feast to release to the people a prisoner of their choosing.
15:7 And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.
15:8 So the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to keep his custom.
15:9 “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked.
15:10 For he knew it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over.
15:11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.
15:12 So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”
15:13 And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!”
15:14 “Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
15:15 And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
15:16 Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.
15:17 They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.
15:18 And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
15:19 They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.
15:20 After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
23:1 Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate.
23:2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
23:3 So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
23:4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
23:5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
23:6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
23:7 And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.
23:8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
23:9 Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.
23:10 Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.
23:11 And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
23:12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.
23:13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.
23:15 Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.
23:16 Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
23:17 Not included in this translation; its manuscript tradition omits this verse.
23:18 But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
23:19 (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
23:20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
23:21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
23:22 A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
23:23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed.
23:24 So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.
23:25 As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.
18:28 Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
18:29 So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
18:30 “If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”
18:31 “You take Him and judge Him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.
18:32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
18:33 Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
18:34 “Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?”
18:35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?”
18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
18:37 “Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”
18:38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. And having said this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for a charge against Him.
18:39 But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
18:40 “Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
19:2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.
19:3 And they went up to Him again and again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapping Him in the face.
19:4 Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
19:5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
19:6 As soon as the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” “You take Him and crucify Him,” Pilate replied, “for I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
19:7 “We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
19:8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid,
19:9 and he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer.
19:10 So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You and authority to crucify You?”
19:11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
19:12 From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”
19:13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha.
19:14 It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
19:15 At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.
19:16 Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.
Related Scripture
The earlier tax dispute allows comparison with the accusation in Luke that Jesus forbids paying Caesar.
Location evidence
Pilate’s hearing and Luke’s Herod episode take place in Jerusalem. The marker does not decide which proposed palace or pavement corresponds to each scene.
Event map marker: Identified site; [longitude, latitude] = [35.23494, 31.77744]. This is a teaching marker, not an exact event venue.
Jerusalem: Identified site. Coordinates [longitude, latitude]: [35.23494, 31.77744]. Classification source: rule.
Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire
Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire
For the class
How do the accounts distinguish the accusations, Pilate’s assessment and his final action?
Interpretation and reuse
Narrative order is a reading arrangement, not a proven chronology. Dates retain their stated uncertainty. An identified locality does not establish the exact venue or prove an event. Region extents and routes are illustrative, not surveyed boundaries or ancient roads. Draft material has not completed editorial review.
Record source: theographic (456)
Record source: editorial
Events and places adapted from Theographic Bible Metadata (github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata), CC BY-SA 4.0. This adapted data is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Place coordinates from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding Data, CC BY 4.0.
Teaching stops, summaries and regional extents are original editorial content of this atlas.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. https://berean.bible/licensing.htm