3. UPilatu wambuza wathi: “Wena uyinkosi yabaJuda na?”Wamphendula wathi: “Usho khona.”
4. Wayesethi uPilatu kubapristi abakhulu nakuzo izixuku: “Angifumani cala kulo muntu.”
5. Kwayikhona beqinisa kakhulu, bethi: “Uvusa abantu efundisa kulo lonke laseJudiya, eqalile kwelaseGalile, waze wafika lapha.”
6. UPilatu esezwa lokho wabuza ukuba lowo muntu ungowaseGalile yini.
7. Esethole ukwazi ukuthi ungowesifunda sikaHerode, wamthumela kuHerode owayekhona naye eJerusalema ngalezo zinsuku.
8. Kwathi uHerode embona uJesu, wathokoza kakhulu, ngokuba kwase kukade efuna ukumbona, lokhu ebezwile ngaye; wayethemba ukuthi uzakubona isibonakaliso esithile senziwa nguye.
9. Wambuza ngamazwi amaningi, kepha yena kamphendulanga ngalutho.
10. Abapristi abakhulu nababhali babemi bemmangalela kakhulu.
11. Kepha uHerode namabutho akhe bameyisa, bambhinqa, baze bamembathisa ingubo ecwebezelayo, bambuyisela kuPilatu.
12. Ngalolo suku oPilatu noHerode baba ngabahlobo; ngokuba ngaphambili kwakukhona ubutha phakathi kwabo.
13. UPilatu wabizela ndawonye abapristi abakhulu nababusi nabantu,
14. wathi kubo: “Nilethe kimi lo muntu ngokuthi ungodukisa abantu. Bhekani, mina ngimhlolile phambi kwenu, kepha angifumananga cala lalezo zinto enimmangalela ngazo;
15. kunjalo noHerode futhi ngokuba umbuyisele kithi; bheka-ke, akenzanga lutho afanele ukufa ngalo.
16. Ngakho-ke ngiyakumshaya, ngimkhulule.”
17. Ubemelwe phela ukubakhululela abe munye ngomkhosi.
18. Kepha bamemeza kanyekanye, bathi: “Susa lo, usikhululele uBaraba,”
19. yena owayefakwe etilongweni ngenxa yesiyaluyalu esithile esasenzeka emzini, nangenxa yokubulala.
20. UPilatu wabuye wakhuluma kubo efuna ukumkhulula uJesu;
21. kodwa bamemeza bathi: “Mbethele, mbethele esiphambanweni!”