Luke 23

¹ Then the whole assembly rose and led him to Pilate.

² And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be the Messiah, a king."

³ Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so."

⁴ Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no grounds for a charge against this man."

⁵ But they kept insisting, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he started even to here."

⁶ When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.

⁷ And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was himself also in Jerusalem at that time.

⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign.

⁹ He questioned him at length, but Jesus gave him no answer.

¹⁰ The chief priests and the scribes stood there, vehemently accusing him.

¹¹ Then Herod, together with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, he sent him back to Pilate.

¹² That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other — previously they had been enemies.

¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

¹⁴ and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And look, I have examined him in your presence and have found no grounds in this man for the charges you are bringing against him.

¹⁵ Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing deserving death.

¹⁶ Therefore I will have him flogged and release him."

¹⁸ But they all cried out together, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!"

¹⁹ (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

²⁰ Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus.

²¹ But they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify him!"

²² A third time he said to them, "Why? What crime has he committed? I have found in him no grounds for a death sentence. Therefore I will have him flogged and release him."

²³ But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified. And their voices prevailed.

²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder — the one they were asking for — and he handed Jesus over to their will.

²⁶ As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and put the cross on him to carry it behind Jesus.

²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who were mourning and wailing for him.

²⁸ Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep instead for yourselves and for your children.

²⁹ For look, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!'

³⁰ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!'

³¹ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

³² Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with him.

³³ When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals — one on his right and one on his left.

³⁴ Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, the Chosen One."

³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,

³⁷ and saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!"

³⁸ There was also an inscription over him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him, saying, "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence?

⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

⁴² Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

⁴³ He said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

⁴⁵ because the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

⁴⁶ Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this, he breathed his last.

⁴⁷ When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man."

⁴⁸ And all the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their chests.

⁴⁹ But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man.

⁵¹ (He had not consented to their decision and action.) He was from Arimathea, a town of the Jews, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.

⁵² He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut in rock, where no one had ever yet been laid.

⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

⁵⁵ The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and saw the tomb and how his body was placed in it.

⁵⁶ Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.