Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate.  Pilate asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply.  Now it was the governor’s custom at Passover to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. So, Pilate asked them who they wanted released? For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.  The religious leaders persuaded the crowd to have another prisoner released and Jesus executed.  They all shouted, “Crucify Him!”  “Why?  What crime has He committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”  When Pilate saw that an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”  He then had Jesus flogged; and handed Him over to be crucified.  His soldiers took Jesus into the court and gathered the whole company of soldiers around Him. They stripped Him and put a purple robe on Him.  They twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.  After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes back on Him.