Luke 23
Jesus before Pilate
1 The whole assembly got up and led Jesus to Pilate and
2 began to accuse him. They said, "We have found this man misleading our people, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he is the Christ, a king."
3 Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus replied, "That’s what you say."
4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no legal basis for action against this man."
5 But they objected strenuously, saying, "He agitates the people with his teaching throughout Judea—starting from Galilee all the way here."
Jesus before Herod
6 Hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.7 When he learned that Jesus was from Herod’s district, Pilate sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at that time.8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus, for he had heard about Jesus and had wanted to see him for quite some time. He was hoping to see Jesus perform some sign.9 Herod questioned Jesus at length, but Jesus didn’t respond to him.10 The chief priests and the legal experts were there, fiercely accusing Jesus.11 Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt. Herod mocked him by dressing Jesus in elegant clothes and sent him back to Pilate.
12 Pilate and Herod became friends with each other that day. Before this, they had been enemies.
Jesus and Barabbas
13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers of the people.14 He said to them, "You brought this man before me as one who was misleading the people. I have questioned him in your presence and found nothing in this man’s conduct that provides a legal basis for the charges you have brought against him.15 Neither did Herod, because Herod returned him to us. He’s done nothing that deserves death.
16 Therefore, I’ll have him whipped, then let him go."t
18 But with one voice they shouted, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us." (
19 Barabbas had been thrown into prison because of a riot that had occurred in the city, and for murder.)
20 Pilate addressed them again because he wanted to release Jesus.
21 They kept shouting out, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22 For the third time, Pilate said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I’ve found no legal basis for the death penalty in his case. Therefore, I will have him whipped, then let him go."
23 But they were adamant, shouting their demand that Jesus be crucified. Their voices won out.24 Pilate issued his decision to grant their request.
25 He released the one they asked for, who had been thrown into prison because of a riot and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.
On the way to the cross
26 As they led Jesus away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, who was coming in from the countryside. They put the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.27 A huge crowd of people followed Jesus, including women, who were mourning and wailing for him.28 Jesus turned to the women and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Rather, cry for yourselves and your children.29 The time will come when they will say, ‘Happy are those who are unable to become pregnant, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed a child.’30 Then they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ t
31 If they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Jesus on the cross
32 They also led two other criminals to be executed with Jesus.33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing." They drew lots as a way of dividing up his clothing.
35 The people were standing around watching, but the leaders sneered at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself if he really is the Christ sent from God, the chosen one."
36 The soldiers also mocked him. They came up to him offering him sour wine37 and saying, "If you really are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
38 Above his head was a notice of the formal charge against him. It read "This is the king of the Jews."
39 One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus insulted him, "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 Responding, the other criminal spoke harshly to him, "Don’t you fear God, seeing that you’ve also been sentenced to die?41 We are rightly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate sentence for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus replied, "I assure you that today you will be with me in paradise."
Jesus’ death
44 It was now about noon, and darkness covered the whole earth until about three o’clock,45 while the sun stopped shining. Then the curtain in the sanctuary tore down the middle.
46 Crying out in a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my life ."t After he said this, he breathed for the last time.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he praised God, saying, "It’s really true: this man was righteous."48 All the crowds who had come together to see this event returned to their homes beating their chests after seeing what had happened.
49 And everyone who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance observing these things.
Jesus’ burial
50 Now there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council. He was a good and righteous man.51 He hadn’t agreed with the plan and actions of the council. He was from the Jewish city of Arimathea and eagerly anticipated God’s kingdom.52 This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid it in a tomb carved out of the rock, in which no one had ever been buried.54 It was the Preparation Day for the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was quickly approaching.55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid in it,
56 then went away and prepared fragrant spices and perfumed oils. They rested on the Sabbath in keeping with the commandment.
Luke 23
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
1 Thent the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesust before Pilate.s2 Theyt began to accuses him, saying, “We found this man subvertingts our nation, forbiddingt us to pay the tribute taxt to Caesart and claiming that he himself is Christ,ts a king.”3 Sot Pilate asked Jesus,t “Are you the kings of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.”s4 Thent Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusationts against this man.”
5 But they persistedt in saying, “He incitess the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!”t
Jesus Brought Before Herod
6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.7 Whent he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction,s he sent him over to Herod,s who also happened to be in Jerusalemss at that time.8 Whent Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him performt some miraculous sign.s9 Sot Herodt questioned him at considerable length; Jesust gave him no answer.10 The chief priests and the experts in the lawt were there, vehemently accusing him.s11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,t dressing him in elegant clothes,s Herodt sent him back to Pilate.
12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other,s for prior to this they had been enemies.t
Jesus Brought Before the Crowd
13 Thent Pilate called together the chief priests, thet rulers, and the people,14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleadingt the people. When I examined him before you, It did not find this man guiltyt of anything you accused him of doing.15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothings deserving death.t
16 I will therefore have him floggedt and release him.”ss
18 But they all shouted out together,t “Take this mant away! Release Barabbas for us!”19 (Thist was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrections started in the city, and for murder.)s20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanteds to release Jesus.21 But they kept on shouting,t “Crucify, crucifyts him!”22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guiltyt of no crime deserving death.s I will therefore flogt him and release him.”23 But they were insistent,t demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed.24 Sot Pilates decidedt that their demand should be granted.
25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus overt to their will.s
The Crucifixion
26 Ast they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene,s who was coming in from the country.t They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.t27 A great number of the people followed him, among them womens who were mourningt and wailing for him.28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,ss do not weep for me, but weep for yourselvess and for your children.29 For this is certain:t The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’ts30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains,s ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’s
31 For if such things are donet when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”s
32 Two other criminalsss were also led away to be executed with him.33 Sot when they came to the place that is called “The Skull,”s they crucifieds him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.34 [But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”]s Thentthey threw dicetto divide his clothes.s35 The people also stood there watching, but the rulers ridiculedt him, saying, “He saved others. Let him saves himself ift he is the Christts of God, his chosen one!”36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,s37 and saying, “Ift you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 There was also an inscriptions over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’tss you the Christ?ts Save yourself and us!”40 But the other rebuked him, saying,t “Don’tt you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?t41 And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothings wrong.”42 Thent he said, “Jesus, remember mes when you come ins your kingdom.”
43 And Jesust said to him, “I tell you the truth,t todays you will be with me in paradise.”s
44 It was nowt about noon,t and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,t45 because the sun’s light failed.ssss The temple curtaint was torn in two.
46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”s And after he said this he breathed his last.
47 Now when the centurions saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!”ts48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.s
49 And all those who knew Jesust stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee sawt these things.
Jesus’ Burial
50 Nowt there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council,t a good and righteous man.51 (Het had not consentedss to their plan and action.) Het was from the Judean townt of Arimathea, and was looking forward tot the kingdom of God.s52 He went to Pilate and asked for the bodys of Jesus.53 Thent he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth,t and placed itt in a tomb cut out of the rock,t where no one had yet been buried.st54 It was the day of preparations and the Sabbath was beginning.t55 Thet women who had accompanied Jesust from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
56 Thent they returned and prepared aromatic spicest and perfumes.t
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.s