Luke 23

Pilate Questions Jesus

1 Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate. 

2 They began to accuse Jesus, saying, “We caught this man telling things that mislead our people. He says that we should not pay taxes to Caesar, and he calls himself the Christ, a king.”

3 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Those are your words.”

4 Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing against this man.”

5 They were insisting, saying, “But Jesus makes trouble with the people, teaching all around Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here.”

Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod

6 Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee.7 Since Jesus was under Herod’s authority, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, because he had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. He was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle.9 Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing.10 The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there, strongly accusing Jesus.11 After Herod and his soldiers had made fun of Jesus, they dressed him in a kingly robe and sent him back to Pilate.

12 In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies, but on that day they became friends.

Jesus Must Die

13 Pilate called the people together with the leading priests and the rulers.14 He said to them, “You brought this man to me, saying he makes trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of what you say.15 Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die.16 So, after I punish him, I will let him go free.” [17 Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.] 18 But the people shouted together, “Take this man away! Let Barabbas go free!”

19 (Barabbas was a man who was in prison for his part in a riot in the city and for murder.)
20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free and told this to the crowd.

21 But they shouted again, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22 A third time Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free.”
23 But they continued to shout, demanding that Jesus be crucified. Their yelling became so loud that24 Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.

25 He set free the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, and he handed Jesus over to them to do with him as they wished.

Jesus Is Crucified

26 As they led Jesus away, Simon, a man from Cyrene, was coming in from the fields. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and to walk behind him.
27 A large crowd of people was following Jesus, including some women who were sad and crying for him.28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. 29 The time is coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who cannot have children and who have no babies to nurse.’ 30 Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ And they will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31 If they act like this now when life is good, what will happen when bad times come?” 32 There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be put to death.33 When they came to a place called the Skull, the soldiers crucified Jesus and the criminals—one on his right and the other on his left.34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.” 

35 The people stood there watching. And the leaders made fun of Jesus, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is God’s Chosen One, the Christ.”
36 The soldiers also made fun of him, coming to Jesus and offering him some vinegar.37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”

38 At the top of the cross these words were written: this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals on a cross began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Christ? Then save yourself and us.”
40 But the other criminal stopped him and said, “You should fear God! You are getting the same punishment he is.41 We are punished justly, getting what we deserve 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 said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 

Jesus Dies

44 It was about noon, and the whole land became dark until three o’clock in the afternoon,45 because the sun did not shine. The curtain in the Temple 

46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, I give you my life.” After Jesus said this, he died.

47 When the army officer there saw what happened, he praised God, saying, “Surely this was a good man!”
48 When all the people who had gathered there to watch saw what happened, they returned home, beating their chests because they were so sad.

49 But those who were close friends of Jesus, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched.

Joseph Takes Jesus’ Body

50 There was a good and religious man named Joseph who was a member of the council.51 But he had not agreed to the other leaders’ plans and actions against Jesus. He was from the town of Arimathea and was waiting for the kingdom of God to come.52 Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.53 He took the body down from the cross, wrapped it in cloth, and put it in a tomb that was cut out of a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before.

54 This was late on Preparation Day, and when the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.
55 The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid.

56 Then the women left to prepare spices and perfumes.
On the Sabbath day they rested, as the law of Moses commanded.

Luke 23

1 And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate.2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest.4 And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no fault in this man.5 But they were the more urgent, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judaea, and beginning from Galilee even unto this place.6 But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean.7 And when he knew that he was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him unto Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days.8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him.9 And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing.10 And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.11 And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate.12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.13 And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,14 and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:15 no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.17 Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner.18 But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: --19 one who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.20 And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;21 but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.23 But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.24 And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done.25 And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.26 And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus.27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.29 For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.31 For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?32 And there were also two others, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.33 And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen.36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar,37 and saying, If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.38 And there was also a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.39 And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.42 And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.43 And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,45 the sun’s light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.46 And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost.47 And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.48 And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts.49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good and righteous man51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of God:52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain.54 And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.55 And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid.56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.