Luke 23

1Then the whole group got up and led Jesus off to Pilate. 2They began to make accusations against him. They said, “We’ve found this man leading our people astray. He says they shouldn’t pay taxes to Caesar, and he claims to be the Messiah—a king.”

3So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

4Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

5But they insisted, “His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

6When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was from Galilee. 7When he learned that Jesus came from Herod’s area of authority, he sent Jesus over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very pleased, because he’d been wanting to see him for a long time. He’d heard much about him, and he hoped to see him perform some kind of sign. 9Herod asked Jesus many questions, but he gave no answer. 10The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, shouting out accusations against him. 11Herod and his soldiers mocked Jesus and made fun of him. They dressed him in a fancy robe and then sent him back to Pilate. 12That day Herod and Pilate became friends; they’d been enemies previously.

13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people. 14He said to them, “You brought me this man and said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you, and I have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Herod didn’t either—that’s why he sent him back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing worthy of death. 16-17So I will have him whipped and let him go.”

18But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill this man! Let Barabbas go instead!” 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison because he’d led a revolt in the city against the authorities, during which he had committed murder.)

20Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to the crowd again. 21But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22Pilate spoke to them for a third time and asked, “Why? What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. I will have him whipped, and then I will let him go.”

23But they kept shouting so loudly for Jesus to be crucified that their voices won out. 24Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25He released the man they asked for, the one who had been thrown in prison for murder and for leading a revolt against the authorities. But he handed Jesus over to them so they could do what they wanted with him.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

26As the soldiers led him away, they grabbed a man named Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed Jesus, including women who mourned and cried aloud because of him. 28Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29A time is coming when you will say, ‘Blessed are the women who couldn’t have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!’ 30Then, as it is written,

“ ‘The people will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”

They’ll say to the hills, “Cover us!” ’

31If people do these things when the trees are green, what will they do when the trees are dry?”

32Two other men were also led out with Jesus to be killed. Both of them had broken the law. 33The soldiers brought them all to the place called the Skull. There they nailed Jesus to the cross and did the same with the two criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.” The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35The people stood there watching. The rulers even mocked Jesus, saying, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

36The soldiers also came up and made fun of him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, then save yourself.”

38A written sign was placed above him that read,

this is the king of the jews.

39One of the criminals who was hanging there made fun of Jesus. “Aren’t you the Messiah?” he asked. “Save yourself and save us!”

40But the other criminal corrected him. “Don’t you have any respect for God?” he asked. “Remember, you’re under the same death sentence. 41We’re being punished fairly and getting what our actions deserve. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus Dies

44-45It was now about noon, and the sun stopped shining and darkness covered the whole land until three o’clock. Then the temple curtain was torn in two as 46Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” After he said this, he took his last breath.

47When the Roman commander saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus surely was a righteous man.” 48But when the people who had gathered to watch the executions saw what took place, they struck their chests in remorse and slipped away. 49But those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stayed close enough to see what happened next.

Jesus Is Buried

50There was man named Joseph who was a member of the Jewish Council. He was a good and honest man, 51and he had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea, and he himself was waiting for God’s kingdom. 52Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, where no one had ever been buried before. 54It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath day was about to begin.

55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.

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