Luke 23
1 Then they all rose in a body and led Jesus before Pilate.
And the entire multitude of them, rising up, led 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.”’
Then they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this one subverting our nation, and prohibiting giving tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king.”
3 ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked him. ‘It is true,’ replied Jesus.
And Pilate questioned him, saying: “You are the king of the Jews?” But in response, he said: “You are saying it.”
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 leaders of the priests and to the crowds, “I find no case against this man.”
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 continued more intensely, saying: “He has stirred up the people, teaching throughout all of Judea, beginning from Galilee, even to this place.”
6 Hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
But Pilate, upon hearing Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee.
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.
And when he realized that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was himself also at Jerusalem in those days.
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.
Then Herod, upon seeing Jesus, was very glad. For he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard so many things about him, and he was hoping to see some kind of sign wrought by him.
9 So he questioned him at some length, but Jesus made no reply.
Then he questioned him with many words. But he gave him no response at all.
10 Meanwhile the chief priests and the teachers of the Law stood by and vehemently accused him.
And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, stood firm in persistently accusing him.
11 And Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with scorn; he mocked him by throwing a gorgeous robe round him, and then sent him back to Pilate.
Then Herod, with his soldiers, scorned him. And he ridiculed him, clothing him in a white garment. And he 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.
And Herod and Pilate became friends on that day. For previously they were enemies to one another.
13 So Pilate summoned the chief priests, and the leading men, and the people,
And Pilate, calling together the leaders of the priests, and the magistrates, 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;
said to them: “You have brought before me this man, as one who disturbs the people. And behold, having questioned him before you, I find no case against this man, in those things about which you accuse 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;
And neither did Herod. For I sent you all to him, and behold, nothing deserving of death was recorded about him.
16 so I will have him scourged, and then release him.’
Therefore, I will chastise him and release him.”
Now he was required to release one person for them on the feast day.
18 But they began to shout as one man, ‘Kill this fellow, but release Barabbas for us.’
But the entire crowd exclaimed together, saying: “Take this one, and release to us Barabbas!”
19 (Barabbas was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city and for murder.)
Now he had been cast into prison because of a certain sedition that occurred in the city and for murder.
20 Pilate, however, wanting to release Jesus, called to them again;
Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus.
21 but they kept calling out, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’
But they shouted in response, saying: “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.’
Then he said to them a third time: “Why? What evil has he done? I find no case against him for death. Therefore, I will chastise him and release him.”
23 But they persisted in loudly demanding his crucifixion; and their clamour gained the day.
But they persisted, with loud voices, in demanding that he be crucified. And their voices increased in intensity.
24 Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.
And so Pilate issued a judgment granting their petition.
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.
Then he released for them the one who had been cast into prison for murder and sedition, whom they were requesting. Yet truly, Jesus he handed over to their will.
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.
And as they were leading him away, they apprehended a certain one, Simon of Cyrene, as he was returning from the countryside. And they imposed the cross on him to carry after Jesus.
27 There was a great crowd of people following him, many being women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
Then a great crowd of people followed him, 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.
But Jesus, turning to them, said: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me. Instead, weep over yourselves and over 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 behold, the days will arrive in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts that have not nursed.’
30 At that time people will begin to say to the mountains “Fall on us,” and to the hills “Cover us.”
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall over 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 these things with green wood, what will be done with the dry?”
32 There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus.
Now they also led out two other criminals with him, in order to execute them.
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.
And when they arrived at the place that is called Calvary, they crucified him there, with the robbers, one to the right and the other to the 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.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.” And truly, dividing his garments, they cast lots.
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.’
And people were standing near, watching. And the leaders among them derided him, saying: “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this one is the Christ, the elect of God.”
36 The soldiers, too, came up in mockery, bringing him common wine,
And the soldiers also ridiculed him, approaching him and offering him vinegar,
37 and saying as they did so, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’
and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 Above him were the words – “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
Now there was also an inscription written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: 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.
And one of those robbers who were hanging blasphemed him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”
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 responded by rebuking him, saying: “Do you have no fear of God, since you are under the same condemnation?
41 And we justly so, for we are only reaping our deserts, but this man has not done anything wrong.
And indeed, it is just for us. For we are receiving what our deeds deserve. But truly, this one has done nothing wrong.”
42 Jesus,’ he went on, ‘do not forget me when you have come to your kingdom.’
And he said to Jesus, “Lord, 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.’
And Jesus said to him, “Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with me in Paradise.”
44 It was nearly midday, when a darkness came over the whole country, lasting until three in the afternoon,
Now it was nearly the sixth hour, and a darkness occurred over the entire earth, until the ninth hour.
45 the sun being eclipsed; and the Temple curtain was torn down the middle.
And the sun was obscured. And the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
46 Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ And with these words he expired.
And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And upon saying this, he expired.
47 The Roman centurion, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming, ‘This must have been a good man!’
Now, the centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified God, saying, “Truly, this man was the Just One.”
48 All the people who had collected to see the sight watched what occurred, and then went home beating their breasts.
And the entire crowd of those who came together to see this spectacle also saw what had happened, and they returned, striking their breasts.
49 All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.
Now all those who knew him, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, were standing at a distance, watching these things.
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.
And behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a councilman, a good and just man,
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.
(for he had not consented to their decision or their actions). He was from Arimathea, a city of Judea. And he was himself also anticipating the kingdom of God.
52 He now went to see Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus;
This man approached Pilate and petitioned for the body of Jesus.
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.
And taking him down, he wrapped him in a fine linen cloth, and he placed him in a tomb hewn from rock, in which no one had ever been placed.
54 It was the Preparation day, and just before the Sabbath began.
And it was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
55 The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how the body of Jesus was laid,
Now the women who had come with him from Galilee, by following, saw the tomb and the manner in which his body was placed.
56 and then went home, and prepared spices and perfumes. During the Sabbath they rested, as directed by the commandment.
And upon returning, they prepared aromatic spices and ointments. But on the Sabbath, indeed, they rested, according to the commandment.
