Jesus Before Pilate

¹cThen the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man dmisleading our nation and eforbidding us to give tribute to fCaesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, ga king.” ³hAnd Pilate asked him, i“Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, j“You have said so.” ⁴Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, k“I find no guilt in this man.” ⁵But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, lfrom Galilee even to this place.”

Jesus Before Herod

⁶When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷And when he learned that he belonged to mHerod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, nfor he had long desired to see him, obecause he had heard about him, and he was hoping pto see some sign done by him. ⁹So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. ¹⁰The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹And Herod with his soldiers qtreated him with contempt and rmocked him. Then, sarraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹²And tHerod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

¹³Pilate then called together the chief priests and uthe rulers and the people, ¹⁴and said to them, “You brought me this man vas one who was misleading the people. And wafter examining him before you, behold, I xdid not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵Neither did Herod, for yhe sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. ¹⁶zI will therefore punish and release him.”1

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

¹⁸aBut they all cried out together, b“Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— ¹⁹a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and cfor murder. ²⁰Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, ²¹but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²²A third time he said to them, “Why? dWhat evil has he done? eI have found in him no guilt deserving death. fI will therefore punish and release him.” ²³But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. ²⁵He released the man who had been thrown into prison gfor insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, hbut he delivered Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

²⁶iAnd as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were jmourning and lamenting for him. ²⁸But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹For behold, kthe days are coming when they will say, l‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰mThen they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ ³¹For nif they do these things when othe wood is green, what will happen owhen it is dry?”

³²pTwo others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³qAnd when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, pone on his right and one on his left. ³⁴And Jesus said, “Father, rforgive them, sfor they know not what they do.”2 And they cast lots tto divide his garments. ³⁵And uthe people stood by, watching, vbut wthe rulers xscoffed at him, saying, y“He saved others; zlet him save himself, aif he is bthe Christ of God, chis Chosen One!” ³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and doffering him sour wine ³⁷and saying, e“If you are fthe King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸gThere was also an inscription over him,3 “This is fthe King of the Jews.”

³⁹hOne of the criminals who were hanged irailed at him,4 saying, “Are you not jthe Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²And he said, “Jesus, remember me kwhen you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in lparadise.”

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁴mIt was now about the sixth hour,5 and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,6 ⁴⁵while the sun's light failed. And nthe curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, ocalling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, pinto your hands I qcommit my spirit!” And having said this rhe breathed his last. ⁴⁷Now swhen the centurion saw what had taken place, the praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home ubeating their breasts. ⁴⁹And all vhis acquaintances and wthe women who had followed him from Galilee xstood at a distance watching these things.

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁰yNow there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, ⁵¹who had not consented to their decision and action; and he zwas looking for the kingdom of God. ⁵²This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and alaid him in a tomb cut in stone, bwhere no one had ever yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was the day of cPreparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.7 ⁵⁵dThe women ewho had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶Then they returned and fprepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested gaccording to the commandment.