23:1 Then the whole assembly of them rose up and brought Jesus before · Pilate.
23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man trying to mislead · our nation, · opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming himself to be Christ, a king.”
23:3 · So Pilate asked Jesus, saying, “Are you the king of the Jews?” In response Jesus · said to him, “You say so.”
23:4 · Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against · this man.”
23:5 But they kept insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all · Judea, · starting from · Galilee even to this place.”
23:6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
23:7 · Learning that he was from · Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those · days.
23:8 Upon seeing Jesus, · · Herod · was very glad, since for a long time he had been wanting to see him, because of what he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some miraculous sign done by him.
23:9 So Herod questioned him with many words; but Jesus gave him no answer,
23:10 even though the chief priests and the scribes stood by, · vehemently accusing him.
23:11 Then, when Herod, along with his soldiers, had treated him with contempt · · · and ridiculed him, they put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.
23:12 And Herod and Pilate became friends · · with each other that very · day, for before this they had been hostile toward each other.
23:13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, · the rulers, and the people,
23:14 and said to them, “You brought me · this man as one who was trying to mislead the people. And indeed, having examined him in your presence, I found no basis for your charges against · this man.
23:15 For that matter, neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. · Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.
23:16 So I will have him flogged and release him.”
23:18 But they cried out together, saying, “Take this man away! Release · for us · Barabbas!”
23:19 who was thrown into prison because of a certain riot that had occurred in the city and for murder. ·
23:20 Once again · · Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, called out to them, ·
23:21 but they kept shouting, saying, “Crucify, crucify him!”
23:22 A third time he · spoke to them, “What evil did this man do? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.”
23:23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified, and their cries prevailed. ·
23:24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. ·
23:25 He released · the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he handed over · Jesus to their will.
23:26 · As they led him away, they took hold of a certain Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the countryside, and put the cross on him to carry it behind · Jesus.
23:27 And there followed him a great crowd of the people, and among them were women who were mourning and wailing for him.
23:28 Turning · to them, · Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for · your children.
23:29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never gave birth and the breasts that never nursed!’
23:30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
23:31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when · it is dry?”
23:32 And they also led away two others, who were criminals, to be put to death with him.
23:33 And when they came to the place · called “The Skull,” there they crucified him and the criminals—one on his right and one on his left.
23:34 · And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Then in order to divide up · his clothing they cast lots.
23:35 · The people stood by, watching. The rulers even scoffed · at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!”
23:36 The soldiers, also, mocked · him, coming up and offering him sour wine
23:37 and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
23:38 In fact, there was · an inscription above him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
23:39 One · of the criminals hanging there kept deriding him, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
23:40 But the other responded to him with a rebuke, saying, “Do you not fear · God, since you are under the same sentence?
23:41 And we indeed justly. For we are receiving what we deserve for what we did; but this man has done nothing improper.”
23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in · your kingdom.”
23:43 And Jesus said to him, “In solemn truth I tell you: today you will be with me in · paradise.”
23:44 · It was already only about the sixth hour but darkness covered the whole · land until the ninth hour,
23:45 because the light of the sun had been eclipsed. The curtain of the temple was torn · down the middle.
23:46 Then Jesus, crying out in a loud voice, · said, “Father, into your hands I commit · my spirit!” Having said this, · he breathed his last.
23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he praised · God, saying, “Truly · this man was righteous!”
23:48 And when all the crowds who had gathered for · this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home, beating their breasts.
23:49 And all who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed him from · Galilee, were standing at a distance, watching these things.
23:50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, · a good and righteous man.
23:51 (He had not agreed with their decision or · their action.) He was from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.
23:52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;
23:53 then taking it down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had yet been laid.
23:54 · It was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was about to begin.
23:55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along behind · · and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid in it ·
23:56 Then they returned and prepared anointing spices and perfumes. · On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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