Luke 23

¹And the whole assembly of them rose up and led him before Pilate. ²They began to bring charges against him, saying, "We found this man corrupting our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be an anointed king." ³Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You say so." ⁴Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no grounds for a charge against this man." ⁵But they grew more insistent, saying, "He stirs up the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to here."

⁶When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷And when he learned that he was from Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was himself also in Jerusalem during those days. ⁸Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time because of what he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign performed by him. ⁹He questioned him at great length, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰The chief priests and the scribes stood by, accusing him vehemently. ¹¹Then Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and mocked him; dressing him in a splendid robe, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹²That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with one another—before this they had been at enmity.

¹³Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people ¹⁴and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one who was leading the people astray. And look: I examined him before you and found nothing in this man to support the charges you bring against him. ¹⁵Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look: nothing deserving death has been done by him. ¹⁶Therefore I will have him flogged and release him."

¹⁸But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!"— ¹⁹a man who had been thrown into prison for a certain insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder. ²⁰Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus. ²¹But they kept shouting, "Crucify! Crucify him!" ²²A third time he said to them, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found in him no grounds for a death sentence. Therefore I will have him flogged and release him." ²³But they pressed him with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified, and their voices prevailed. ²⁴So Pilate gave the verdict that their demand should be granted. ²⁵He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder—the one they were asking for—but Jesus he handed over to their will.

²⁶And as they led him away, they seized a man named Simon, a Cyrenian coming in from the countryside, and placed the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. ²⁷A large crowd of the people followed him, including women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. ²⁸But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep rather for yourselves and for your children, ²⁹for look: days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' ³⁰Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' ³¹For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

³²Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with him. ³³And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And dividing up his garments, they cast lots. ³⁵The people stood watching. The rulers also sneered at him, saying, "He saved others—let him save himself, if this is the Anointed One of God, the Chosen One." ³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷and saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." ³⁸There was also an inscription over him: "This is the King of the Jews."

³⁹One of the criminals hanging there kept reviling him, saying, "Aren't you the Anointed One? Save yourself—and us!" ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹And we indeed justly so, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong." ⁴²And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." ⁴³And he said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵the sun's light having failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit." And having said this, he breathed his last.

⁴⁷When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Surely this man was righteous." ⁴⁸And all the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹But all his acquaintances stood at a distance, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, watching these things.

⁵⁰Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man— ⁵¹he had not consented to their plan and action—from Arimathea, a town of the Judeans, who was awaiting the kingdom of God. ⁵²This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed him in a tomb cut from rock, where no one had ever yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was the Day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

⁵⁵The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and observed the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.