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] prevailed. 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 fed! ”^{(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.’^(BB)[q] 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)