Luke 23

The AIT Bible

Jesus Is Taken to Pilate

1Then their whole assembly rose up and led him to Pilate.

2And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

3So Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You say so.”

4Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge in this man.”

5But they were insistent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place.”

Jesus Before Herod

6When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.

7And when he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself was also in Jerusalem in those days.

8Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had been hearing about him, and he was hoping to see some sign performed by him.

9So he questioned him with many words, but he gave him no answer.

10And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.

11And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him, and dressing him in a magnificent robe, sent him back to Pilate.

12And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that very day, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.

Pilate Sentences Jesus to Death

13Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

14and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who was misleading the people. And look, I have examined him before you and have found no basis in this man for the charges you are bringing against him.”

15“Nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. And look, nothing deserving of death has been done by him.”

16“Therefore, I will punish him and release him.”

18But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!”

19He was one who had been thrown into prison for a certain insurrection that had occurred in the city, and for murder.

20But Pilate addressed them again, wanting to release Jesus.

21But they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!”

22And he said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in him no basis for a charge deserving of death. Therefore, I will punish him and release him.”

23But they were urgent with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified. And their voices prevailed.

24So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.

25He released the one who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they were demanding, but he handed Jesus over to their will.

The Way to the Crucifixion

26And as they led him away, they seized a certain Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry it behind Jesus.

27And a great crowd of the people was following him, including women who were mourning and lamenting him.

28But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29“For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never 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?”

32And two others, criminals, were also led away with him to be put to death.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

33And when they came to the place called ‘Skull,’ there they crucified him and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

34And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And dividing his garments, they cast lots.

35And the people stood by, watching. But the rulers were scoffing, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ 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.”

39And one of the criminals who were hanged there was reviling him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

40But the other answered, rebuking him, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence?”

41“And we indeed are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43And he said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,

45while the sun’s light 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.

47Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Truly this man was righteous.”

48And all the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, returned home beating their chests.

49But all his acquaintances, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

50And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man.

51—he had not consented to their decision and action—from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God.

52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53And taking it down, he wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever yet been laid.

54It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.

55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.

56Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

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