Chapter 3.

Pilate therefore went outside in rage and anger, and says to Annas and Caiaphas, and to the crowd who brought Jesus:  I take the sun to witness that I find no fault in this man.  The crowd answered:  If he were not a sorcerer, and a magician, and a blasphemer, we should not have brought him to your highness.  Pilate said:  Try him yourselves; and since you have a law, do as your law says.  The Jews said:  Our law permits to put no man to death.^18781878    John xix. 6, 7.  Pilate says:  If you are unwilling to put him to death, how much more am I!

Then Pilate returned to the palace, and says to Jesus:  Tell me, art thou the king of the Jews?  Jesus answered:  Dost thou say this, or have the other Jews said this to thee, that thou mightst question me?  Pilate said:  Thou dost not think that I am a Hebrew?  I am not a Hebrew.  Thy people and the chief priests have delivered thee into my hands; and tell me if thou art king of the Jews?  Jesus answered:  My kingdom is not of this world; for if my kingdom were in this world, my soldiers would not be unconcerned at my being seized:  wherefore my kingdom is not in this world.  Pilate says:  But art thou a king?  Jesus said:  Thou hast said:  for this was I born, to bear witness to the truth; and if any one be a man of the truth, he believes my word, and does it.  Pilate says:  What is the truth?^18791879    John xviii. 33–38.  Jesus answered:  The truth is from the heavens.  Pilate says:  On earth, then, is there no truth?  Christ says:  I am the truth; and how is the truth judged on earth by those that have earthly power!