Scene 10: Christ or Barrabas?

Who do you want me to release? Christ or ..

Caiaphas and the Chief Priests returned and once more demanded Pilate's attention. Herod didn't do what was needed so they had to force Pilate to make the right decision.

Meanwhile, a message has arrived from Pilate's wife, Claudia, warning him to have nothing to do with the man Jesus, as she had suffered nightmares on his account the night before.
Pilate was now anxious to release Jesus.

He looked down on these troublesome Jews with disdain and said, "You have brought this man before me as one who seduces the people. I examined him in your presence and could not find substance to your charges, nor could Herod, seeing that he has sent him back to us. It is plain that he has done nothing which deserves death."
As expected, Caiaphas was not giving up so easily, so Pilate had a good idea.
It was the custom that at festival time Pilate would release any one prisoner the people chose. Pilate believed that perhaps this was his opportunity to be rid of Jesus.

this horrible criminal, Barrabas

Pilate called down to Longinus, the Centurion, "Centurion! Who is the worst criminal murderer that we have in the depths of the prisons that not even the Jews would ever want to see released?"
The Centurion answered quickly as the answer was obvious, "That would be Barrabas, Sir."
Pilate then instructed, "Then get that murderer, Barabbas and bring this Jesus to me."
Barabbas was in prison at this time with other rioters who had committed murder during a recent uprising. As Barrabas was such a terrible murderer, Pilate was sure that the crowd would choose Jesus.

Pilate called out to the crowd, "I bring him forth to you that you may know I find no cause in him. I will release for you this Jesus, the King of the Jews!"
But the crowd called, "We want Barabbas!"
Surprised as this choice between an innocent man and a murderer even they hated, Pilate asked, "Which of the two would you have me release? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

Give us Barrabas!

The crowd yelled out, "Away with him! Give us Barabbas! Not this man. We want Barabbas!"
Pilate asked them, "But what am I to do with this one you call King of the Jews?"
The crowd was silent as Caiaphas replied sternly, "Crucify him."
The crowd then cried out, "Crucify him! On the cross with him. Crucify him!"
Pilate tried once more to get some reason, "But why, what harm has he done?"
But the crowd cried louder and started to get unruly, "Crucify him, crucify him!"
Concerned at what looked like impending violence, the soldiers started bracing themselves and Pilate tried his next plan, "Why, what wrong has he done? I can find no fault in him that deserves death; I will scourge him, and then he shall go free."
Barrabas was Pontius Pilate’s second attempt to avoid condemning Jesus.
Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, orders Jesus to be scourged,"Centurion, take him to the Praetorium! You are to punish him severely but do not kill him!"

A great resource is the story written by Daniel A Lord (1958). Here is a PDF version or an ePub.