He stood next to Jesus of Nazareth and was granted his freedom while the other was crucified. But who was he and what was the story leading up to his being chosen by the crowds over the Messiah?

Author Thom Koop delves into what might have been the life of Joshua "Jesus" Barabbas in his first novel, Give Us Barabbas: A Redemption Story.
After witnessing the murder of his father at the hand of Roman soldiers, young Joshua chose the path of Freedom Fighter alongside others in his family and community who were outraged by the Romans' blatant disregard for the nation of Israel. Motivated by revenge, killing became his life as part of a murderous Jewish Zealot faction known as Q.
However, when one fateful stay in prison grew longer than expected, Barabbas began to wonder if everyone had forgotten about him, including God. Alone and on the edge of hope, he uttered a small prayer for the Lord to help him. Little did he know how Adonai would answer!
When the idea for Give Us Barabbas presented itself, Thom felt somewhat stuck, and the idea of writing a historical novel about a little-known man from the Bible seemed pretty far-fetched. However, as he shared Barabbas's story with his family, their advice and encouragement was to write it down. Three and a half years later, that writing became a reality with Give Us Barabbas.
Thom wrote the novel based on research into the true events of Barabbas's life and the era in which he lived, creating a story that is undeniable in how accurately it depicts life at the time of Jesus's crucifixion.
Give Us Barabbas shows that just as God answered Joshua Barabbas's prayer while in the dark surroundings of his prison, He can and will help you as well, however far or near you are from Him.