Before Pilate and Herod
Pilate says three times that he finds no guilt, and gives in anyway. Jesus tells the weeping women to cry for themselves, asks his Father to forgive the men crucifying him, and promises paradise to a criminal. Darkness falls, the curtain tears, and Joseph asks for the body.
23 1Then the whole assembly rose and brought him before Pilate. 2They began accusing him: "We found this man misleading our nation, forbidding taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king."
3Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so."
4Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man."
5But they pressed on: "He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, from Galilee to here."
6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7Learning he was under Herod's authority, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also in Jerusalem in those days.
8Seeing Jesus, Herod was delighted—he'd long wanted to see him, having heard about him, and hoped to see him perform a sign. 9He questioned him at great length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11Herod and his soldiers scorned and mocked him, dressed him in bright clothing, and sent him back to Pilate. 12That day Herod and Pilate became friends—they had been enemies before.
13Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one turning the people away. I examined him before you and found no guilt in this man on your charges. 15Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing deserving death. 16I will therefore discipline him and release him." a a v16 The earliest manuscripts do not have a verse 17 here; later copies add: "For he was obligated to release one prisoner to them at the feast." 18But they all cried out together, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19a man imprisoned for a rebellion that happened in the city, and for murder.
20Pilate addressed them once more, wanting to release Jesus, 21but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!"
22A third time he said to them, "Why? What wrong has this man done? I find no ground for death in him. So I will punish and release him." 23But they kept shouting loudly, demanding he be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25He released the man they asked for, jailed for rebellion and murder, but handed Jesus over to their will.
The Son Is Crucified
26Leading him away, they seized a man named Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the countryside, and put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. 27A great crowd of the people followed him, including women who were weeping and wailing for him.
28But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't cry for me; cry for yourselves and your children. 29For the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, the breasts that never nursed.' 30Then they'll begin saying to the mountains, "Fall on us," and to the hills, "Cover us." 31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it's dry?" b b v31 A proverb: if Rome does this to the innocent (green wood), how much worse awaits the guilty (dry wood) when judgment falls.
32Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be put to death with him. 33When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right, one on his left.
34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Then they divided his garments, casting lots. c c v34 These words are absent from some early manuscripts. They are printed here, as in most modern Bibles.
35The people stood watching; the rulers sneered, "He saved others—let him save himself, if he's God's Christ, the Chosen One."
36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to offer him sour wine, 37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
38There was also an inscription over him: "This is the King of the Jews."
39One of the hanged criminals insulted him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other rebuked him: "Don't you even fear God, since you're under the same sentence? 41Rightly so—we're paying for what we did; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43And Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
The Son Breathes His Last
44It was already about noon, and darkness covered the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45for the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46Jesus called out loudly, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Then he breathed his last.
47Seeing what happened, the centurion praised our Father: "This man really was righteous." 48All the crowds gathered for this sight, seeing what happened, went home beating their chests. 49All his acquaintances, and the women who followed him from Galilee, stood far off watching these things.
The Son Is Laid in the Tomb
50Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51who had not agreed to their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Jewish town, and was waiting for the kingdom of our Father. 52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53He took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a rock-cut tomb where no one had yet been laid. 54It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55Women who came with him from Galilee followed, saw the tomb, and how his body was placed. 56They went back and prepared spices and ointments, then rested on the Sabbath as commanded.
