was the murder that the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem instead of Jesus. Barrabas was sentenced to death by crucifixion, but according to the Passover custom Pilate was allowed to commute one prisoner's death sentence by popular acclaim. The crowd, when offered a choice to release Barrabas or Jesus, picked Barrabas condemning Jesus to crucifixion. [ From the Golden Chalice - Barrabas