6 Bathi bembona abapristi abakhulu nezikhonzi, bamemeza bathi: “Mbethele, mbethele esiphambanweni!”UPilatu wathi kubo: “Mthatheni nina, nimbethele esiphambanweni, ngokuba angifumani cala kuye.”
7 Kepha abaJuda bamphendula bathi: “Sinomthetho thina; ngalo mthetho ufanele ukufa, ngokuba ezenzile iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”
8 Kuthe uPilatu ezwa lelo zwi, kwayikhona esaba kakhulu,
9 wabuye wangena enqabeni, wathi kuJesu: “Ungowaphi wena na?” Kepha uJesu kamphendulanga.
10 Khona wathi uPilatu kuye: “Awukhulumi kimi na? Awazi ukuthi nginamandla okukukhulula, nginamandla futhi okukubethela esiphambanweni na?”
11 UJesu waphendula wathi: “Ngabe awunamandla neze phezu kwami, ukuba awuwanikwanga ngaphezulu. Ngalokho-ke onginikele kuwe unesono esikhulu.”
12 Ngalokho uPilatu wayefuna ukumkhulula. Kepha abaJuda bamemeza bathi: “Uma ukhulula lona, awusiye umhlobo kaKesari; osuka ezenza inkosi, umelene noKesari.”