Caiaphas added, "He has proclaimed himself king"; and the priests said, "Who proclaims himself king is a rebel against Caesar."
And Nathanael said, "And is this rebel still to remain unpunished, still to scatter abroad the seed of revolt?"
Then cried the people, "It is the duty of the governor to put him out of the way."
Caiaphas seeing that Pilate answered not, pressed more vehemently upon him, saying, "We have done our duty as subjects of Caesar and delivered this rebel to thee. If thou payest no attention to our accusation and the desire of the people, then are we free from guilt. Thou alone, O Governor, art responsible to Caesar for the consequences."
And Annas said, "If on account of this man universal disorder and revolt ensues, then we know who must bear this guilt, and," he added significantly, "Caesar shall know it also."
Then cried the people again, "The matter must be brought before Caesar."
Then Ezekiel said to Pilate, "They will be astonished when they hear at Rome that Caesar's viceroy has taken under his protection a traitor whose death the whole people desired."
And the crowd cried, "Thou must execute him, or otherwise there would be no peace in the land."
Then said Pilate, "Why, what evil hath he done? I cannot, I dare not, condemn the innocent to death."
Then said Caiaphas, "Permit me to ask one question. Why shouldst thou judge this man so carefully when quite recently thou hast allowed thy soldiers to massacre hundreds without judgment or sentence, merely on account of some rebellious outcries?"