Luke 23
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
23:1 Then1 the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus2 before Pilate.3 23:2 They4 began to accuse5 him, saying, “We found this man subverting6 our nation, forbidding7 us to pay the tribute tax8 to Caesar9 and claiming that he himself is Christ,10 a king.” 23:3 So11 Pilate asked Jesus,12 “Are you the king13 of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.”14 23:4 Then15 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation16 against this man.” 23:5 But they persisted17 in saying, “He incites18 the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!”19
Jesus Brought Before Herod
23:6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 23:7 When20 he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction,21 he sent him over to Herod,22 who also happened to be in Jerusalem23 at that time. 23:8 When24 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 perform25 some miraculous sign.26 23:9 So27 Herod28 questioned him at considerable length; Jesus29 gave him no answer. 23:10 The chief priests and the experts in the law30 were there, vehemently accusing him.31 23:11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,32 dressing him in elegant clothes,33 Herod34 sent him back to Pilate. 23:12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other,35 for prior to this they had been enemies.36
Jesus Brought Before the Crowd
23:13 Then37 Pilate called together the chief priests, the38 rulers, and the people, 23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading39 the people. When I examined him before you, I40 did not find this man guilty41 of anything you accused him of doing. 23:15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing42 deserving death.43 23:16 I will therefore have him flogged44 and release him.”45
23:18 But they all shouted out together,46 “Take this man47 away! Release Barabbas for us!” 23:19 (This48 was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection49 started in the city, and for murder.)50 23:20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted51 to release Jesus. 23:21 But they kept on shouting,52 “Crucify, crucify53 him!” 23:22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty54 of no crime deserving death.55 I will therefore flog56 him and release him.” 23:23 But they were insistent,57 demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. 23:24 So58 Pilate59 decided60 that their demand should be granted. 23:25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over61 to their will.62
The Crucifixion
23:26 As63 they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene,64 who was coming in from the country.65 They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.66 23:27 A great number of the people followed him, among them women67 who were mourning68 and wailing for him. 23:28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,69 do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves70 and for your children. 23:29 For this is certain:71 The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’72 23:30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains,73 ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’74 23:31 For if such things are done75 when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”76
23:32 Two other criminals77 were also led away to be executed with him. 23:33 So78 when they came to the place that is called “The Skull,”79 they crucified80 him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 23:34 [But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”]81 Then82 they threw dice83 to divide his clothes.84 23:35 The people also stood there watching, but the rulers ridiculed85 him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save86 himself if87 he is the Christ88 of God, his chosen one!” 23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,89 23:37 and saying, “If90 you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 23:38 There was also an inscription91 over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”
23:39 One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’t92 you the Christ?93 Save yourself and us!” 23:40 But the other rebuked him, saying,94 “Don’t95 you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?96 23:41 And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing97 wrong.” 23:42 Then98 he said, “Jesus, remember me99 when you come in100 your kingdom.” 23:43 And Jesus101 said to him, “I tell you the truth,102 today103 you will be with me in paradise.”104
23:44 It was now105 about noon,106 and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,107 23:45 because the sun’s light failed.108 The temple curtain109 was torn in two. 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”110 And after he said this he breathed his last.
23:47 Now when the centurion111 saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!”112 23:48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.113 23:49 And all those who knew Jesus114 stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee saw115 these things.
Jesus’ Burial
23:50 Now116 there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council,117 a good and righteous man. 23:51 (He118 had not consented119 to their plan and action.) He120 was from the Judean town121 of Arimathea, and was looking forward to122 the kingdom of God.123 23:52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body124 of Jesus. 23:53 Then125 he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth,126 and placed it127 in a tomb cut out of the rock,128 where no one had yet been buried.129 23:54 It was the day of preparation130 and the Sabbath was beginning.131 23:55 The132 women who had accompanied Jesus133 from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 23:56 Then134 they returned and prepared aromatic spices135 and perfumes.136
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.137