Luke 23

Jesus before Pilate

¹Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate.²And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”

³So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

⁴Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

⁵But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

Jesus before Herod

⁶When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.⁷And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.

⁸When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.⁹Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.

¹⁰Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.¹¹And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.

¹²That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

¹³Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,¹⁴and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.¹⁵Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.¹⁶Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”

¹⁷But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”¹⁸(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

¹⁹Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,²⁰but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

²¹A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”

²²But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed.²³So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.²⁴As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

²⁵As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

²⁶A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.²⁷But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁸Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’ ²⁹At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

³⁰For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³¹Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.

³²When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

³³Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

³⁴The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

³⁵The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.³⁶“If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

³⁷Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁸One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”

³⁹But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?⁴⁰We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”⁴¹Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

⁴²And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

⁴³It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.⁴⁴The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

⁴⁵Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.

⁴⁶When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”⁴⁷And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.⁴⁸But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

⁴⁹Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man,⁵⁰who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea and was waiting for the kingdom of God.⁵¹He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.⁵²Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.⁵³It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.

⁵⁴The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.⁵⁵Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.