Matthew 27:15-26

15 It was the governor's custom during a festival to set free one prisoner, whom ever the crowd asked for.

16 There was at that time a notorious prisoner being held, named Yeshua Bar-Abba.

17 So when a crowd had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to set free for you? Bar-Abba? or Yeshua, called `the Messiah'?"

18 For he understood that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over.

19 While he was sitting in court, his wife sent him a message, "Leave that innocent man alone. Today in a dream I suffered terribly because of him."

20 But the head cohanim persuaded the crowd to ask for Bar-Abba's release and to have Yeshua executed on the stake.

21 "Which of the two do you want me to set free for you?" asked the governor. "Bar-Abba!" they answered.

22 Pilate said to them, "Then what should I do with Yeshua, called `the Messiah'?" They all said, "Put him to death on the stake! Put him to death on the stake!"

23 When he asked, "Why? What crime has he committed?" they shouted all the louder, "Put him to death on the stake!"

24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "My hands are clean of this man's blood; it's your responsibility."

25 All the people answered, "His blood is on us and on our children!"

26 Then he released to them Bar-Abba; but Yeshua, after having him whipped, he handed over to be executed on a stake.