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 according to  that  law  He  ought  to  die,  because  He  made  Himself the Son  of  God.’’

Pilate, fearing  still  more,  entered  the  hall,  and  said  to  Jesus: “Whence art  Thou?”  Jesus  gave  him  no  answer. Then Pilate continued: “Speakest  Thou  not  to  me? Knowest Thou  not  that I have power  to  crucify  Thee,  and  that  I have  power  to  release Thee?” Jesus  answered:  “Thou  shouldst  not  have  any  power against Me,  unless  it  were  given  thee  from  above.”

Now Pilate  sought  to  release Jesus,  but  the  high  priests  and ancients, seeing  that  Pilate  was  disposed  to  favour  Him,  cried out: “If  thou  releasest  this  man,  thou  art  no  friend  of  Caesar.” Pilate, roused  by  this  sickening  hypocrisy  of  the  Jews,  retorted: “Behold your  king;  shall  I crucify  your  king?”  The  maddened crowd replied:  “We  have  no  king  but  Caesar.”  Hearing  this, Pilate was  afraid  lest  he  should  lose  the  emperor’s  favour.

But being  still  convinced  of  the  innocence  of  Jesus,  he  took water in  a basin  and  washed  his  hands  before  the  whole  people, saying: “I  am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  just  Man;  look  you