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Trial Before Pilate

by Jesus Christ Superstar

on Jesus Christ Superstar (2012)

Pilate:
And so the King
Is once again my guest
And why is this?
Was Herod unimpressed?

Caiaphas:
We turned 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 got no kingdom in this world
I'm through, through, through.
There may be a kingdom for me
Somewhere if I only knew

Pilate:
So You're a king

Jesus
It's you that say I am
I look for truth
And find that I get damned

Pilate:
What is truth?
Is truth unchanging law?
We both have truths
Are mine the same as Yours?

Crowd:
Crucify Him, crucify Him

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

Crowd:
We have no king but Caesar

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

Crowd:
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

Crowd:
Crucify, crucify

Pilate (counting the number of lashes):
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven
Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen
Nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, twenty four

Twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine
Thirty, thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty four
Thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine

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 have 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?

Crowd:
Crucify Him, crucify Him, remember Caesar
You have a duty to keep the peace
So crucify Him, You'll be demoted
You'll be deported so 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