- Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
- Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
- They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
- Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
- That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
- Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
- Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
- Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
- Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
- Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
- Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
- But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
- Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.
In Pilate’s hall, the bound Christ seen,
By rulers clad in robes serene.
Yet at the door, they dare not tread,
Lest their pure feet be falsely led.
They shun the Roman’s tainted ground,
But miss the truth so profound:
In their zeal to keep laws intact,
Their hearts betray a darker pact.
Rejecting Him, the lamb so true,
Their Passover has lost its hue.
Blinded by laws, they could not see,
Their own hypocrisy set free.