ds us."

Then the people called out clamorously; "Pilate--pronounce the sentence
of death!"

Pilate's servant from the balcony said, "Silence! be quiet!" but the
crowd shouted at him louder than before, "No, we will not be quiet
until Pilate consents."

Then said the servant, "Pilate will come out immediately."

Then cried all once more, "We demand the death of the Nazarene."

And Caiaphas, listening to the shouts of the people, said to the
priests, "Now let Pilate, as he wished, learn the opinion of the
people."

Then came Pilate with his followers out upon the balcony, and with them
came Jesus, led by two soldiers, with the crown of thorns upon his head
and the scarlet robe about him. The crowd instead of shouting, "Hail,
all hail," as before, shouted violently, "Give judgment! Pass sentence
upon him!"

Then Pilate spoke, pointing to Jesus, who, with bound hands and the
scarlet robe upon his bleeding shoulders, stood between the soldiers,
"Behold the man!"

The priests and Pharisees answered, "To the cross with him."

Pilate pleaded, "Cannot even this pitiful sight awake any compassion in
your hearts?"

But the multitude answered, "Let him die! To the cross with him!"

Then Pilate said, "Take him and crucify him at your own risk--I will
have nothing to do with it, for I find no fault in him."

Then Caiaphas said with a loud voice, "Hear, O governor, the voice of
the people. It concurs in our complaint and demands his death."

"Yes," shouted the crowd again, "we demand his death."

Then said Pilate to his soldiers, "Lead him down and let Barabbas be
brought out of prison. The jailer must at once deliver him up to the
chief lictor."

When Annas heard Pilate's commands he cried, "Let Barabbas live.
Pronounce the death sentence on the Nazarene!"

Then the people cried, "To death with the Nazarene!"

Then said Pilate, "I do not understand this, people. Only a few days
ago with rejoicing and joyful clamor you accompanied this man through
the streets of Jerusalem. Is it possible that the same people this day
call for death and destruction upon him? That is indeed contemptible
fickleness."

"The good people," said Caiaphas, "have at last learned that they have
been deceived by an adventurer who pretended to be the Messiah, the
king of Israel!"

"And now," said Nathanael, "the eyes of this people are fully opened,
and they see that he cannot help himself--he who promised to bring
freedom and b