Trial Before Pilate (Including The 39 Lashes)

PILATE

And so the king is once again my guest.

And why is this? Was Herod unimpressed?

CAIAPHAS

We turn to Rome to sentence Nazareth
We have no law to put a man to death
We need him crucified
It's all you have to do
We need him crucified
It's all you have to do.

PILATE

Talk to me Jesus Christ
You have been brought here
Manacled, beaten by your own people
Do you have the first idea why you deserve it?
Listen King of the Jews
Where is your kingdom?
Look at me. Am I a Jew?

JESUS

I have no kingdom in this world
I'm through
There may be a kingdom for me somewhere
If you only knew.

PILATE

Then you are a king?

JESUS

It's you that say I am
I look for truth and find that I get damned.

PILATE

But what is truth?
Is truth a changing law?
We both have truths
Are mine the same as yours?

MOB

Crucify him! Crucify him!

PILATE

What do you mean?
You'd crucify your king?

MOB

We have no king but Caesar!

PILATE

He's done no wrong
No, not the slightest thing.

MOB

We have no king but Caesar!
Crucify him!

PILATE

What is this new respect for Caesar?
'Till now this has been noticeably lacking.
Who is this Jesus? Why is he different?
You Jews produce Messiahs by the sackfull.

MOB

We need him crucified
It's all you have to do
We need him crucified
It's all you have to do.

PILATE

Talk to me, Jesus Christ
Look at your Jesus Christ
I'll agree he's mad
Ought to be locked up
But that is not a reason to destroy him
He's a sad little man
Not a King or God
Not a thief
I need a crime!

MOB

Crucify him!

PILATE

Behold a man
Behold your shattered King.

MOB

We have no King but Caesar.

PILATE

You hypocrites
You hate us more than him.

MOB

We have no King but Caesar
Crucify him!

PILATE

I see no reason. I find no evil
This man is harmless, so why does he upset you?
He's just misguided, thinks he's important
But to keep you vultures happy I shall flog him.

MOB

Crucify him! Crucify him!

(Thirty-nine lashes, Pilate counts)
PILATE

Where are you from Jesus?
What do you want Jesus?
Tell me
You've got to be careful
You could be dead soon
Could well be
Why do you not speak when
I hold your life in my hands?
How can you stay quiet?
I don't believe you understand.

JESUS

You have nothing in your hands
Any power you have, comes to you from far beyond
Everything is fixed, and you can't change it.

PILATE

You're a fool Jesus Christ
How can I help you?

MOB

Pilate, Crucify him!
Remember Caesar
You have a duty
To keep the peace, so crucify him!
Remember Caesar
You'll be demoted
You'll be deported. Crucify him!

Remember Caesar
You have a duty
To keep the peace, so crucify him!
Remember Caesar
You'll be demoted
You'll be deported. Crucify him!

Remember Caesar
You have a duty
To keep the peace, so crucify him!
Remember Caesar
You'll be demoted
You'll be deported. Crucify him!

PILATE

Don't let me stop your great self-destruction
Die if you want to, you misguided martyr
I wash my hands of your demolition
Die if you want to you innocent puppet!