23:1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.
23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”
23:3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
23:4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
23:5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
23:6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.
23:7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
23:8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle.
23:9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
23:10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him.
23:11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.
23:12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends–before this they had been enemies.
23:13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people,
23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.
23:15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.
23:16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.”
23:17
23:18 With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
23:19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
23:20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.
23:21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
23:22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
23:23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.
23:24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.
23:25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
23:26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
23:27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.
23:28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.
23:29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’
23:30 Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ‘
23:31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
23:32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
23:33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals–one on his right, the other on his left.
23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
23:35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
23:36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
23:37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
23:38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
23:39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
23:40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
23:41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
23:43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
23:45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
23:47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
23:48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
23:49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
23:50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
23:51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
23:52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body.
23:53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.
23:54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
23:55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
23:56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
23:1 And the entire multitude of them rose up and led Him before Pilate.
23:2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation and forbidding people to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.
23:3 And Pilate asked Him, saying, Are You the King of the Jews? And answering him, He said, It is as you say.
23:4 And Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, I find no fault in this man.
23:5 But they were vehement, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place.
23:6 And when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
23:7 And when he realized that He was of Herod s jurisdiction, he sent Him up to Herod, who also himself was in Jerusalem in those days.
23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly, for he had wanted to see Him for a considerable time, because he had heard about Him, and was hoping to see some sign done by Him.
23:9 And he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.
23:10 And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him.
23:11 And Herod with his soldiers, having despised Him and mocked Him, threw around Him splendid clothing and sent Him back to Pilate.
23:12 And both Herod and Pilate became friends with one another on that very day, for they had previously been at enmity toward each other.
23:13 And Pilate, calling together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
23:14 Said to them, You have brought this man to me as one who turns the people away, and behold, I have examined Him before you and found no fault in this man regarding the accusations you bring against Him.
23:15 No, neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us, and behold, nothing worthy of death has been done by Him.
23:16 I will therefore discipline Him and release Him.
23:17 Now he was obliged to release to them one prisoner at the feast.
23:18 But they cried out all together, saying, Take this man away and release to us Barabbas.
23:19 He was one who, for a certain insurrection that occurred in the city and for murder, had been thrown into the prison.
23:20 But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again;
23:21 But they continued to shout, saying, Crucify, crucify Him!
23:22 But he said to them a third time, Why, what evil has this man done? I have found no cause of death in Him; I will therefore discipline Him and release Him.
23:23 But they pressed him with loud voices, asking that He be crucified, and their voices prevailed.
23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that their request be carried out,
23:25 And he released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
23:26 And as they led Him away, they laid hold of Simon, a certain Cyrenian, coming from the country, and they placed the cross upon him to carry it behind Jesus.
23:27 And a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him followed Him.
23:28 But Jesus turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over Me, but weep over yourselves and over your children.
23:29 For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs which have not borne, and the breasts which have not nourished.
23:30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us! and to the hills, Cover us!
23:31 For if they do these things with the tree full of sap, what will happen with the one that is dry?
23:32 And two others also, who were criminals, were led with Him to be executed.
23:33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
23:34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And dividing His garments, they cast lots.
23:35 And the people stood by, looking on. And the rulers also sneered, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!
23:36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar,
23:37 And saying, If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!
23:38 And there was also an inscription over Him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
23:39 And one of the criminals who were hanged there blasphemed Him, saying, Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!
23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him and said, Do you not even fear God, since you are in the same judgment?
23:41 And we justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing amiss.
23:42 And he said, Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.
23:43 And He said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.
23:44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,
23:45 The sun s light failing; and the veil of the temple was split down the middle.
23:46 And crying with a loud voice, Jesus said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit. And saying this, He expired.
23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this man was righteous.
23:48 And all the crowds who came together at this spectacle, when they beheld the things that happened, returned, beating their breasts.
23:49 And all those who knew Him, and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, observing these things.
23:50 And behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, and a good and righteous man
23:51 (This man had not consented to their counsel and action), from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was expecting the kingdom of God.
23:52 This man came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
23:53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a fine linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb hewn in the rock, where no one had ever lain.
23:54 And it was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was coming on.
23:55 And the women who had come together with Him out of Galilee followed after and beheld the tomb and how His body was laid.
23:56 And they returned and prepared spices and ointment. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.