Person New Testament
Pontius Pilate
Also known as Pilate
Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect of Judea who presided over the trial of Jesus. The Gospels record that he found no basis for a charge, yet handed Jesus over to be crucified under pressure from the crowd and the religious leaders.
Why it matters. Pilate fixes the crucifixion in verifiable Roman history; the historic creeds say Jesus "suffered under Pontius Pilate" for that reason.
- Primary passages
- Dates
- AD 26 to 36 (approximate) (high confidence, Roman administrative dating; Pilate's tenure as prefect of Judea)
Pilate's governorship (about AD 26 to 36) is attested by Josephus, Philo, Tacitus, and the Caesarea inscription. The span records his tenure, not his lifespan.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
Connections
Pontius Pilate participates in The trial before Pilate
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidencePilate questions Jesus, finds no guilt, offers the release, and hands Him over.
Evidence:Pontius Pilate participates in The crucifixion of Jesus
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidencePilate presides over the trial and hands Jesus over to be crucified.
Evidence:Pontius Pilate participates in The burial of Jesus
Explicit in ScriptureHigh confidencePilate grants the body to Joseph after confirming the death, and later permits a guard at the tomb.
Evidence:
Appears in Scripture
Named in 52 verses across 6 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.