23:1 |
The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate. |
23:2 |
They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." |
23:3 |
Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "So you say." |
23:4 |
Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no basis for a charge against this man." |
23:5 |
But they insisted, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place." |
23:6 |
But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean. |
23:7 |
When he found out that he was in Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. |
23:8 |
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him. |
23:9 |
He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers. |
23:10 |
The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. |
23:11 |
Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate. |
23:12 |
Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other. |
23:13 |
Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, |
23:14 |
and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him. |
23:15 |
Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him. |
23:16 |
I will therefore chastise him and release him." |
23:17 |
Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast. |
23:18 |
But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!"-- |
23:19 |
one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder. |
23:20 |
Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus, |
23:21 |
but they shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him!" |
23:22 |
He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him." |
23:23 |
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed. |
23:24 |
Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done. |
23:25 |
He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will. |
23:26 |
When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus. |
23:27 |
A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. |
23:28 |
But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. |
23:29 |
For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' |
23:30 |
Then they will begin to tell the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and tell the hills, 'Cover us.' { Hosea 10:8 } |
23:31 |
For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?" |
23:32 |
There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death. |
23:33 |
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. |
23:34 |
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. |
23:35 |
The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!" |
23:36 |
The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, |
23:37 |
and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" |
23:38 |
An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." |
23:39 |
One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!" |
23:40 |
But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? |
23:41 |
And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." |
23:42 |
He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." |
23:43 |
Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." |
23:44 |
It was now about the sixth hour { Time was counted from sunrise, so the sixth hour was about noon. }, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. { 3:00 PM } |
23:45 |
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. |
23:46 |
Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last. |
23:47 |
When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man." |
23:48 |
All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts. |
23:49 |
All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. |
23:50 |
Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man |
23:51 |
(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the Kingdom of God: |
23:52 |
this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. |
23:53 |
He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid. |
23:54 |
It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near. |
23:55 |
The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. |
23:56 |
They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. |