Study Desk

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium (governor's palace). Now it was early and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium so that they would not be [ceremonially] unclean, but might [be able to] eat [and participate in the Feast of Unleavened Bread which began after] the Passover [supper].

Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world [nor does it have its origin in this world]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting [hard] to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world."

"But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. So shall I release for you the King of the Jews?"

Then they all shouted back again, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

He went into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not answer him.

As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!"

When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

But they shouted, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar!"

Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews'; but, 'He said, "I am King of the Jews."'"

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer clothes and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and also the tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven [in one piece] from the top throughout.

So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it will be." This was to fulfill the Scripture, "THEY DIVIDED MY OUTER CLOTHING AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS."

So the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, His mother's sister [Salome], Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came [flowing] out.

And after this, Joseph of Arimathea—a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews—asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body.

And the two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and arrived at the tomb first.

Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings [neatly] lying there; but he did not go in.

and the [burial] face-cloth which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the [other] linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb;

After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.