Luke 23
1 Then they all rose in a body and led Jesus before Pilate.
The whole council rose and took him to Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, “This is a man whom we found misleading our people, preventing them from paying taxes to the Emperor, and giving out that he himself is ‘Christ, a king.’”
There they started to accuse him. “We found this man deceiving our nation, telling people not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming he is Messiah, a king,” they said.
3 “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked him. “It is true,” replied Jesus.
“Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked him. “So you say,” replied Jesus.
4 But Pilate, turning to the chief priests and the people, said, “I do not see anything to find fault with in this man.”
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I don't find this man guilty of any crime.”
5 But they insisted, “He is stirring up the people by his teaching all through Judea; he began with Galilee and has now come here.”
But they insisted, saying, “He is inciting rebellion all over Judea with his teachings, from Galilee to right here in Jerusalem.”
6 Hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
When he heard this, Pilate asked, “Is this man a Galilean?”
7 and, having satisfied himself that Jesus came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who also was at Jerusalem at the time.
When he discovered that Jesus came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at the time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly pleased, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, having heard a great deal about him; and he was hoping to see some sign given by him.
Herod was very pleased to see Jesus since he had wanted to meet him for a long time. He had heard about Jesus and was hoping to see him perform a miracle.
9 So he questioned him at some length, but Jesus made no reply.
He asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not answer him at all.
10 Meanwhile the chief priests and the teachers of the Law stood by and vehemently accused him.
The chief priests and religious teachers stood there, angrily accusing him.
11 And Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with scorn; he mocked him by throwing a gorgeous robe around him, and then sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him. Then they placed a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.
12 And Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, for before that there had been ill-will between them.
From that day on Herod and Pilate were friends—before that they had been enemies.
13 So Pilate summoned the chief priests, and the leading men, and the people,
Pilate called together the chief priests, rulers, and the people,
14 and said to them, “You brought this man before me charged with misleading the people; and yet, for my part, though I examined him before you, I did not find this man to blame for any of the things of which you accuse him;
and told them, “You brought this man before me, accusing him of inciting the people to rebellion. I've carefully examined him in your presence, and do not find him guilty of the charges you have brought against him.
15 nor did Herod either; for he has sent him back to us. And, as a fact, he has not done anything deserving death;
Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. He has done nothing that demands he should be put to death.
16 so I will have him scourged, and then release him.”
So I will have him flogged and then release him.”
18 But they began to shout as one man, “Kill this fellow, but release Barabbas for us.”
But they all shouted together, “Kill this man, and release Barabbas to us.”
19 (Barabbas was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city and for murder.)
(Barabbas had been put in prison for taking part in a rebellion in the city, and for murder.)
20 Pilate, however, wanting to release Jesus, called to them again;
Pilate wanted to release Jesus, so spoke to them again.
21 but they kept calling out, “Crucify, crucify him!”
But they kept on shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 “Why, what harm has this man done?” Pilate said to them for the third time. “I have found nothing in him for which he could be condemned to death. So I will have him scourged, and then release him.”
Pilate asked them for the third time, “But why? What crime has he committed? I don't find any reason for executing him. So I will have him flogged and then release him.”
23 But they persisted in loudly demanding his crucifixion; and their clamor gained the day.
But they continued insisting with loud shouts, demanding that he be crucified. Their shouting succeeded,
24 Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.
and Pilate gave the sentence they demanded.
25 He released the man who had been put in prison for riot and murder, as they demanded, and gave Jesus up to be dealt with as they pleased.
He released the man imprisoned for rebellion and murder, but he sent Jesus to be put to death in accordance with their demands.
26 And, as they were leading Jesus away, they laid hold of Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on his shoulders, for him to carry it behind Jesus.
As the soldiers led him away, they seized a man called Simon of Cyrene, who had come in from the countryside. They put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
27 There was a great crowd of people following him, many being women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
A large crowd followed him, along with women who were mourning and lamenting him.
28 So Jesus turned and said to them, “Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and your children.
29 A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said – ‘Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!’
For the time is coming when they'll say, ‘Happy are those who are childless, and those who never had babies, and those who never nursed them.’
30 At that time people will begin to say to the mountains ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills ‘Cover us.’
They'll say to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’
31 If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
For if they do this to wood that is green, what will happen when it's dried out?”
32 There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus.
They also took two others who were criminals to be executed with him.
33 When they had reached the place called ‘The Skull,’ there they crucified Jesus and the criminals, one on the right, and one on the left.
When they reached the place called the Skull they crucified him together with the criminals, one on his right, and the other on his left.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.
Jesus said, “Father, please forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing.” They divided up his clothes by throwing dice for them.
35 Meanwhile the people stood looking on. Even the leading men said with a sneer, “He saved others, let him save himself, if he is God’s Christ, his chosen one.”
The people stood and watched and the leaders sneered at Jesus. “He saved others, let him save himself, if he is really God's Messiah, the Chosen One,” they said.
36 The soldiers, too, came up in mockery, bringing him common wine,
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him and offering him wine vinegar, saying,
37 and saying as they did so, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
“If you're the King of the Jews, then save yourself.”
38 Above him were the words – ‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’
Above Jesus was a sign on which it was written, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanging beside Jesus railed at him. “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us,” he said.
One of the criminals hanging there joined in the insults against Jesus. “Aren't you the Messiah?” he asked. “Then save yourself—and us too!”
40 But the other rebuked him. “Haven’t you,” he said, “any fear of God, now that you are under the same sentence?
But the other criminal disagreed and argued with him, “Don't you fear God even when you're suffering the same punishment?” he asked.
41 And we justly so, for we are only reaping our deserts, but this man has not done anything wrong.
“For us the sentence is right since we're being punished for what we did, but this man didn't do anything wrong.”
42 Jesus,” he went on, “do not forget me when you have come to your kingdom.”
Then he said, “Jesus, please remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus answered, “I tell you, this very day you will be with me in Paradise.”
Jesus replied, “I promise you today you will be with me in paradise.”
44 It was nearly midday, when a darkness came over the whole country, lasting until three in the afternoon,
By this time it was around noon and darkness fell over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
45 the sun being eclipsed; and the Temple curtain was torn down the middle.
The sun's light was shut out, and the Temple veil was torn in two.
46 Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” And with these words he expired.
Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, I place myself in your hands.” Having said this he breathed his last.
47 The Roman centurion, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming, “This must have been a good man!”
When the centurion saw what had happened he praised God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.”
48 All the people who had collected to see the sight watched what occurred, and then went home beating their breasts.
When all the crowds that had come to watch saw what happened they went home beating their chests in grief.
49 All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.
But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who'd followed him from Galilee, watched from a distance.
50 Now there was a man of the name of Joseph, who was a member of the Council, and who bore a good and upright character.
There was a man called Joseph who was good and honest. He was a member of the council,
51 (This man had not assented to the decision and action of the Council.) He belonged to Arimathea, a town in Judea, and lived in expectation of the kingdom of God.
but he hadn't agreed with its decisions and actions. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.
52 He now went to see Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus;
Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.
53 and, when he had taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen sheet, and laid him in a tomb cut out of stone, in which no one had yet been buried.
Once he'd taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth. He laid Jesus in an unused tomb cut into the rock.
54 It was the Preparation day, and just before the Sabbath began.
It was preparation day and the Sabbath would soon begin.
55 The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how the body of Jesus was laid,
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee had followed Joseph and had seen the tomb where Jesus' body had been laid.
56 and then went home, and prepared spices and perfumes. During the Sabbath they rested, as directed by the commandment.
They returned home and prepared spices and ointments. But on the Sabbath they rested, observing the commandment.
