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Jesus before Pilate

¹ Then the entire assembly of them set out and ^(C1)brought Him before Pilate.^2 (C1)And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, "We found this Man ^(C2)misleading our nation and ^(C3)forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is ^(F1)Christ, a King."³ Now Pilate asked Him, saying, "So You are the King of the Jews?" And He answered him and said, "^(C1)It is as you say."⁴ But Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "^(C1)I find no grounds for charges in the case of this Man."⁵ But they kept on insisting, saying, "He is stirring up the people, teaching all over Judea, ^(C1)starting from Galilee, as far as this place!"

⁶ Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean.⁷ And when he learned that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to ^(C1)Herod, ^(F1)since he also was in Jerusalem ^(F2)at this time.

Jesus before Herod

⁸ Now Herod was overjoyed when he saw Jesus; for ^(C1)he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some ^(F1)sign performed by Him.⁹ And he questioned Him ^(F1)at some length; but ^(C1)He offered him no answer at all.¹⁰ Now the chief priests and the scribes stood there, vehemently charging Him.¹¹ And Herod, together with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, ^(C1)dressing Him in a brightly shining robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.¹² And so ^(C1)Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for previously, they had been enemies toward each other.

Pilate Seeks Jesus' Release

¹³ Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the ^(F1)(C1)rulers, and the people,¹⁴ and he said to them, "You brought this Man to me on the ground that ^(C1)He is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I ^(C2)have found no basis at all in the case of this Man for the charges which you are bringing against Him.¹⁵ "No, nor has ^(C1)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.¹⁶ "Therefore I will ^(F1)(C1)punish Him and release Him."¹⁷ [^(F1)Now he was obligated to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, "^(C1)Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas!"¹⁹ (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.)²⁰ But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again,²¹ but they kept on crying out, saying, "Crucify, crucify Him!"²² And he said to them a third time, "Why, what has this Man done wrong? I have found ^(F1)in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will ^(F2)(C1)punish Him and release Him."²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.²⁴ And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out.²⁵ And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.

Simon Carries the Cross

^26 (C1)And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of ^(C2)Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

²⁷ Now following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were ^(F1)(C1)mourning and grieving for Him.²⁸ But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.²⁹ "For behold, days are coming when they will say, '^(C1)Blessed are those who cannot bear, and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not nursed.'³⁰ "Then they will begin TO ^(C1)SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, 'FALL ON US,' AND TO THE HILLS, 'COVER US.'³¹ "For if they do these things ^(F1)when the tree is green, what will happen ^(F2)when it is dry?"

^32 (C1)Now two others, who were criminals, were also being led away to be put to death with Him.

The Crucifixion

^33 (C1)And when they came to the place called ^(F1)The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.³⁴ [^(F1)But Jesus was saying, "^(C1)Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."] ^(C2)And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.³⁵ And the people stood by, watching. And even the ^(C1)rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; ^(C2)let Him save Himself if this is the ^(F1)Christ of God, His Chosen One."³⁶ The soldiers also ridiculed Him, coming up to Him, ^(C1)offering Him sour wine,³⁷ and saying, "^(C1)If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"³⁸ Now there was also an inscription above Him, "^(C1)THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

^39 (C1)One of the criminals who were hanged there was ^(F1)hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the ^(F2)Christ? ^(C2)Save Yourself and us!"⁴⁰ But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?⁴¹ "And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving ^(F1)what we deserve for our crimes; but this Man has done nothing wrong."⁴² And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!"⁴³ And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in ^(C1)Paradise."

^44 (C1)It was now about ^(F1)(C2)the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire land until ^(F2)the ninth hour,^45 (F1)because the sun stopped shining; and ^(C1)the veil of the temple was torn ^(F2)in two.⁴⁶ And Jesus, ^(C1)crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, ^(C2)INTO YOUR HANDS I ENTRUST MY SPIRIT." And having said this, He ^(F1)died.^47 (C1)Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began ^(C2)praising God, saying, "This Man was in fact ^(F1)innocent."⁴⁸ And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, after watching what had happened, began to return home, ^(F1)(C1)beating their chests.^49 (C1)And all His acquaintances and ^(C1)the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

Jesus Is Buried

^50 (C1)And a man named Joseph, who was a ^(C2)member of the Council, a good and righteous man⁵¹ (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was ^(C1)waiting for the kingdom of God—⁵² this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.⁵³ And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.⁵⁴ It was a ^(F1)(C1)preparation day, and a Sabbath was about to ^(F2)begin.⁵⁵ Now ^(C1)the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was laid.

⁵⁶ And then they returned and ^(C1)prepared spices and perfumes. And ^(C2)on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.