"I am innocent of the blood of this just person! See ye to it, O Jews, ye and your High Priest!"
"His blood be upon us, and on our children!" answered Caiaphas; and all the people re-echoed his language.
"Ay, on us and on our children rest the guilt of his blood!"
"Be it so," answered the Procurator, with a dark brow and face as pale as the dead. "Take ye him and crucify him; and may the God he worships judge you, not me, for this day's deed!"
Pilate then turned away from them and said to Jesus:
"Thou art, I feel, an innocent man, but thou seest that I cannot save thee! I know thou wilt forgive me, and that death can have no terrors for one of fortitude like thine!"
Jesus made him no answer; and Pilate, turning from him with a sad countenance walked slowly away and left the Judgment Hall. As he did so one of his captains said to him:
"Shall I scourge him, my lord, according to the Roman law, which commands all who are sentenced to die to be scourged?"
"Do as the law commands," answered the weak-minded Roman.