"We bring the prisoner once more before thee and earnestly desire his death," said Caiaphas.
All the priests cried aloud, "We insist upon it, he must die."
Then said Pilate, "Ye brought me this man as an agitator and see, I have heard your complaints, and I have myself examined him, and have not found anything in him touching those things whereof you accuse him."
Then said Caiaphas angrily, "We abide by our accusation; he is a criminal worthy of death."
And the priests cried, clamorously, "He is an offender against our law and against Caesar."
Then said Pilate, "I have sent him because he is a Galilean to Herod. Have you brought forward your complaints before him?"
"Yes," said Caiaphas, "but Herod would not judge the case because thou art in authority here."
Then said Pilate, "He, too, has found nothing in the man that deserves death, but in order to meet your desire I will have this man scourged and let him go."
But Annas said, "That sufficeth not," and Caiaphas said, "The law prescribes for such a criminal not the punishment of scourging, but the punishment of death."
The priests cried again, "To death with him."