Jesus Faces Pilate

23 Then^(A) their whole assembly rose up and brought him before Pilate. ² They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, opposing payment of taxes^(B) to Caesar, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”

³ So Pilate asked him,^(C) “Are you the king of the Jews?” ^(D)

He answered him, “You say so.”^[a]

⁴ Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds^(E) for charging this man.”

⁵ But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people,^(F) teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee^(G) where he started even to here.”

Jesus Faces Herod Antipas

⁶ When Pilate^(H) heard this,^[b] he asked if the man was a Galilean. ⁷ Finding that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,^(I) who was also in Jerusalem during those days. ⁸ Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle^[c] performed by him. ⁹ So he kept asking him questions, but Jesus did not answer him.^{(J) 10} The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt, mocked^(K) him, dressed him in bright clothing,^(L) and sent him back to Pilate. ¹² That very day Herod and Pilate became friends.^[d](M) Previously, they had been enemies.

Jesus or Barabbas

¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,^{(N) 14} and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who misleads the people.^(O) But in fact, after examining him in your presence, I have found no grounds^(P) to charge this man with those things you accuse him of. ¹⁵ Neither has Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ Therefore, I will have him whipped^[e](Q) and then release him.”^[f]

¹⁸ Then^(R) they all cried out together, “Take this man away!^(S) Release Barabbas to us!” ¹⁹ (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus,^(T) Pilate addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

²² A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong?^(U) I have found in him no grounds^(V) for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.”

²³ But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voices^[g] won out. ²⁴ So^(W) Pilate decided to grant their demand^{(X) 25} and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.^(Y)

The Way to the Cross

²⁶ As^(Z) they led him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian,^(AA) who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross^(AB) on him to carry behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large crowd of people followed him, including women who were mourning and lamenting him.^{(AC) 28} But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,^(AD) do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. ²⁹ Look, the days are coming^(AE) when they will say, ‘Blessed are the women without children, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’^{(AF) 30} Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ^{[h](AG) 31} For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”^(AH)

Crucified between Two Criminals

³² Two others—criminals^(AI)—were also led away to be executed with him. ³³ When^(AJ) they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁴ Then Jesus said, “Father,^(AK) forgive^(AL) them, because they do not know what they are doing.”^[i](AM) And they divided his clothes and cast lots.^(AN)

³⁵ The^(AO) people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing:^(AP) “He saved others; let him save himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” ^{(AQ) 36} The soldiers also mocked him. They came offering him sour wine^{(AR) 37} and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,^(AS) save yourself!”

³⁸ An inscription was above him:^[j] This Is the King of the Jews.

³⁹ Then^(AT) one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at^[k] him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰ But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God,^(AU) since you are undergoing the same punishment? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”^{(AV) 42} Then he said, “Jesus, remember me^[l](AW) when you come into your kingdom.”^(AX)

⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”^(AY)

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁴ It^(AZ) was now about noon,^[m] and darkness came over the whole land^[n] until three,^{[o] 45} because the sun’s light failed.^[p] The curtain^(BA) of the sanctuary was split down the middle. ⁴⁶ And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”^[q](BB) Saying this, he breathed his last.

⁴⁷ When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify^(BC) God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” ^{[r] 48} All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests.^{(BD) 49} But^(BE) all who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance,^(BF) watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

⁵⁰ There^(BG) was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, ⁵¹ who had not agreed with their plan^(BH) and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God.^{(BI) 52} He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. ⁵³ Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed.^{[s](BJ) 54} It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.^{[t] 55} The women^(BK) who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. ⁵⁶ Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.^(BL) And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.^(BM)

Mocked by the Military

²⁷ Then^(A) the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole company^[a] around him.^{(B) 28} They stripped him and dressed him in a scarlet robe.^{(C) 29} They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and placed a staff in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!” ³⁰ Then they spat on him, took the staff, and kept hitting him on the head. ³¹ After they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.^(D)

Crucified Between Two Criminals

³² As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced him to carry his cross.^{(E) 33} When they came to a place called Golgotha^(F) (which means Place of the Skull), ³⁴ they gave him wine^[b] mixed with gall to drink. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.^{[c](G) 36} Then they sat down and were guarding him there. ³⁷ Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

³⁸ Then two criminals^[d] were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.^{(H) 39} Those who passed by were yelling insults at^[e] him, shaking their heads^{(I) 40} and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” ^{(J) 41} In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,^[f] mocked him and said, ⁴² “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel!^(K) Let him^[g] come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him!^[h] For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.^(L)

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon,^[i] darkness came over the whole land.^{[j](M) 46} About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá^[k] sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”^[l](N)

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.^{(O) 49} But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.^{(P) 51} Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary^(Q) was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. ⁵² The tombs were also opened^(R) and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. ⁵³ And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” ^(S)

⁵⁵ Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him were there, watching from a distance.^{(T) 56} Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.^(U)

The Burial of Jesus

⁵⁷ When it was evening,^(V) a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple^(W) of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it^[m] be released. ⁵⁹ So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.^{(X) 61} Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.

The Closely Guarded Tomb

⁶² The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate^{(Y) 63} and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{(Z) 64} So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples^(AA) may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take^[n] guards,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards.^(AB)