TCNT LUKE Chapter 23

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

23 Then the whole assembly arose and led Jesus to Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting [fn]the nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, declaring himself to be Christ, a king.” 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are yoʋ the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Yoʋ have said it yoʋrself.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this man.” 5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea. He started from Galilee and has come even to this place.”

Jesus Brought Before Herod

6 When Pilate heard [fn]mention of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he found out that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. 8 When Herod saw Jesus he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard [fn]many things about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9 So he questioned him at great length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Meanwhile, the [fn]chief priests and the scribes stood there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Herod also treated him with contempt and mocked him, as did his soldiers. Then, after dressing Jesus in fine clothing, Herod sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day [fn]Pilate and Herod became friends with one another; before this they had been enemies.

The Crowd Calls For Jesus' Crucifixion

13 Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And behold, after examining him before you, I have found no fault in this man with respect to the accusations you are making against him, 15 and neither has Herod, for [fn]I sent you to him. Clearly he has done nothing that deserves death. 16 Therefore I will have him flogged and then release him.”

17 [fn]Now each year at the feast Pilate was obligated to release one prisoner for the people. 18 So they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (This was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wishing to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again, 21 but they kept on shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him [fn]no grounds for death. So I will have him flogged and then release him.” 23 But they continued insistently with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified, and their voices [fn]prevailed, along with those of the chief priests. 24 So Pilate rendered his decision that their demand be granted. 25 He [fn]released the man they had been asking for, who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

26 As the soldiers led him away, they took hold of Simon, a Cyrenian man who was coming in from the countryside, and they laid on him the cross, forcing him to carry it behind Jesus. 27 A great multitude of people followed along behind, including women who were mourning and lamenting for Jesus. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not [fn]nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Now two others, who were criminals, were also being led away to be put to death with Jesus. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, the soldiers crucified him there along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 [fn]But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 The people stood there looking on, and the rulers [fn]who were with them ridiculed him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the [fn]Christ, the Chosen One of God.” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him and offering him sour wine, 37 saying, “If yoʋ are the king of the Jews, save yoʋrself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him [fn]written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew letters, which read: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who was hanging there reviled [fn]him, saying, “[fn]If yoʋ are the Christ, save yoʋrself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do yoʋ not even fear God, seeing that yoʋ are under the same condemnation? 41 The two of us are justly condemned, for we are receiving the appropriate punishment for the things we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he [fn]said to Jesus, “Remember me, Lord, when yoʋ come [fn]in yoʋr kingdom.” 43 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to yoʋ, today yoʋ will be with me in Paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44 [fn]Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth [fn]hour. 45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into yoʋr hands I commit my spirit.” After saying this, he breathed his last breath. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God and said, “Surely this man was righteous.” 48 And when all the crowds who had gathered together for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts. 49 But all those who knew Jesus stood at a distance watching these things, including the women who had followed him from Galilee.

The Burial of Jesus

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who was a member of the council 51 but had not consented to their decision and action. He was from Arimathea, a town of the Jews, and was [fn]himself also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb hewn in the rock, where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was approaching. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed along behind and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. But they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.