Luke 23
1 Then the whole group got up and led Jesus off to Pilate.2 They began to bring charges against Jesus. They said, "We have found this man misleading our people. He is against paying taxes to Caesar. And he claims to be Christ, a king."
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes. It is just as you say," Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate spoke to the chief priests and the crowd. He announced, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
5 But they kept it up. They said, "His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was from Galilee.7 He learned that Jesus was from Herod's area of authority. So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. At that time Herod was also in Jerusalem.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very pleased. He had been wanting to see Jesus for a long time. He had heard much about him. He hoped to see Jesus do a miracle.
9 Herod asked him many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there. With loud shouts they brought charges against him.
11 Herod and his soldiers laughed at him and made fun of him. They dressed him in a beautiful robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate.12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends. Before this time they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people.14 He said to them, "You brought me this man. You said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you. I have found no basis for your charges against him.15 Herod hasn't either. So he sent Jesus back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing that is worthy of death.16-17 So I will just have him whipped and let him go."
18 With one voice the crowd cried out, "Kill this man! Give Barabbas to us!"19 Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder.
20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. So he made an appeal to the crowd again.21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22 Pilate spoke to them for the third time. "Why?" he asked. "What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go."
23 But with loud shouts they kept calling for Jesus to be crucified. The people's shouts won out.
24 So Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.25 He set free the man they asked for. The man had been thrown in prison for murder and for fighting against the authorities. Pilate gave Jesus over to them so they could carry out their plans.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
26 As they led Jesus away, they took hold of Simon. Simon was from Cyrene. He was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders. Then they made him carry it behind Jesus.
27 A large number of people followed Jesus. Some were women whose hearts were filled with sorrow. They cried loudly because of him.
28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children.29 The time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the women who can't have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!'
30 It is written,
" 'The people will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"
They'll say to the hills, "Cover us!" ' (Hosea 10:8)
31 People do these things when trees are green. So what will happen when trees are dry?"
32 Two other men were also led out with Jesus to be killed. Both of them had broken the law.33 The soldiers brought them to the place called The Skull. There they nailed Jesus to the cross. He hung between the two criminals. One was on his right and one was on his left.
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing." The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood there watching. The rulers even made fun of Jesus. They said, "He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him. They offered him wine vinegar.37 They said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
38 A written sign had been placed above him. It read, ~this is the king of the jews.=
39 One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself! Save us!"
40 But the other criminal scolded him. "Don't you have any respect for God?" he said. "Remember, you are under the same sentence of death.41 We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn't done anything wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "What I'm about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise."
Jesus Dies
44 It was now about noon. The whole land was covered with darkness until three o'clock.45 The sun had stopped shining. The temple curtain was torn in two.46 Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my very life." After he said this, he took his last breath.
47 The Roman commander saw what had happened. He praised God and said, "Jesus was surely a man who did what was right."
48 The people had gathered to watch that sight. When they saw what happened, they beat their chests and went away.49 But all those who knew Jesus stood not very far away, watching those things. They included the women who had followed him from Galilee.
Jesus Is Buried
50 A man named Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. He was a good and honest man.51 He had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He was waiting for God's kingdom.
52 Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.53 He took it down and wrapped it in linen cloth. Then he put it in a tomb cut in the rock. No one had ever been buried there.54 It was Preparation Day. The Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was placed in it.56 Then they went home. There they prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.
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.