12 When Pilate was assured that civil war would follow if he heeded not the wishes of the mob, he took a bowl of water and in the presence of the multitude he washed his hands and said,
13 This man whom you accuse, is son of the most holy Gods, and I proclaim my innocence.
14 If you would shed his blood, his blood is on your hands and not on mine.
15 And then the Jews exclaimed, And let his blood be on our hands and on our children’s hands.
16 And Pilate trembled like a leaf, in fear. Barabbas he released and as the Lord stood forth before the mob the ruler said, Behold your king! And would you put to death your king?
17 The Jews replied, He is no king; we have no king but great Tiberius.
18 Now, Pilate would not give consent that Roman soldiers should imbue their hands in blood of innocence, and so the chief priests and the Pharisees took counsel what to do with Jesus, who was called the Christ.
19 Caiaphas said, We cannot crucify this man; he must be stoned to death and nothing more.
20 And then the rabble said, Make haste! let him be stoned. And then they led him forth toward the hill beyond the city’s gates, where criminals were put to death.
21 The rabble could not wait until they reached the place of skulls. As soon as they had passed the city’s gate, they rushed upon him, smote him with their hands, they spit upon him, stoned him and he fell upon the ground.