Pilate returns to the crowd waiting outside the palace. Evidently with Jesus at his side, he tells the chief priests and those with them: “I find no crime in this man.”

When Jesus returns, Pilate calls the chief priests, the Jewish rulers, and the people together and says: “You brought this man to me as one inciting the people to revolt, and, look! I examined him in front of you but found in this man no ground for the charges you are bringing against him. In fact, neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us; and, look! nothing deserving of death has been committed by him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”

Thus, Pilate twice has declared Jesus innocent. He is eager to free him, for he realizes that it is only because of envy that the priests have handed him over. But as Pilate continues to try to release Jesus, he receives another strong motivation to do so. While he is on his judgment seat, his wife sends a message, urging him: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I suffered a lot today in a dream [evidently of divine origin] because of him.”

Yet, how can Pilate release this innocent man, as he knows he should?