| Chapter 23 |
1 |
The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate. |
2 |
They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." |
3 |
Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "So you say." |
4 |
Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no basis for a charge against this man." |
5 |
But they insisted, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place." |
6 |
But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean. |
7 |
When he found out that he was in Herod`s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. |
8 |
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him. |
9 |
He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers. |
10 |
The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. |
11 |
Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate. |
12 |
Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other. |
13 |
Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, |
14 |
and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him. |
15 |
Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him. |
16 |
I will therefore chastise him and release him." |
17 |
Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast. |
18 |
But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!" -- |
19 |
one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder. |
20 |
Pilate spoke to them again, desiring to release Jesus, |
21 |
but they shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him!" |
22 |
He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him." |
23 |
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed. |
24 |
Pilate adjudged that what they asked for should be done. |
25 |
He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will. |
26 |
When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus. |
27 |
A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. |
28 |
But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don`t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. |
29 |
For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, `Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.` |
30 |
Then will they begin to tell the mountains, `Fall on us!` and to the hills, `Cover us.` |
31 |
For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?" |
32 |
There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death. |
33 |
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. |
34 |
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don`t know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. |
35 |
The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!" |
36 |
The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, |
37 |
and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" |
38 |
An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." |
39 |
One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!" |
40 |
But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don`t you even fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? |
41 |
And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." |
42 |
He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." |
43 |
He said to him, "Most assuredly 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 |
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. |
46 |
Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last. |
47 |
When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." |
48 |
All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned beating their breasts. |
49 |
All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood far away, watching these things. |
50 |
Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man |
51 |
(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the kingdom of God: |
52 |
this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus` body. |
53 |
He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no man had ever yet lain. |
54 |
It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was coming on. |
55 |
The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. |
56 |
They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. |