Luke 23
23
Jesus before Pilate
1And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. 2And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. 3And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. 4Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. 5And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. 6When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. 7And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
Before Herod
8And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
12And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
Pilate's Judgement
13And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19(who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 25And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
On the Way to the Cross
26And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
27And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? 32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
Calvary
33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
The Penitent Thief
39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
After the Crucifixion
44And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 47Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. 49And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
The Burial
50And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 51(the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. 56And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
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Luke 23: KJV
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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.
Learn More About King James VersionLuke 23
23
Governor Pilate Questions Jesus
(Mt. 27:1–2, 11–14; Mk. 15:1–5; Jn. 18:28–38)
1Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus away to Pilate. 2They began to accuse Jesus and said to Pilate, “We caught this man trying to change the thinking of our people. He says we should not pay taxes to Caesar. He calls himself the Messiah, a king.”
3Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, what you say is true.”
4Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing wrong with this man.”
5But they kept on saying, “His teaching is causing trouble all over Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here!”
Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod
6Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee. 7He learned that Jesus was under Herod’s authority. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time, so Pilate sent Jesus to him.
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very happy. He had heard all about him and had wanted to meet him for a long time. Herod wanted to see a miracle, so he was hoping that Jesus would do one. 9He asked him many questions, but Jesus said nothing. 10The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there shouting things against Jesus. 11Then Herod and his soldiers laughed at him. They made fun of him by dressing him in clothes like kings wear. Then Herod sent him back to Pilate. 12In the past Pilate and Herod had always been enemies. But on that day they became friends.
Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus
(Mt. 27:15–26; Mk. 15:6–15; Jn. 18:39–19:16)
13Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders. 14He said to them, “You brought this man to me. You said he was trying to change the people. But I judged him before you all and have not found him guilty of the things you say he has done. 15Herod didn’t find him guilty either. He sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing bad enough for the death penalty. 16So, after I punish him a little, I will let him go free.” 17#23:17 A few Greek copies add verse 17: “Every year at the Passover festival, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.”
18But they all shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!” 19(Barabbas was a man who was in jail for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)
20Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So again Pilate told them that he would let him go. 21But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”
22A third time Pilate said to the people, “Why? What wrong has he done? He is not guilty. I can find no reason to kill him. So I will let him go free after I punish him a little.”
23But the people continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on a cross. Their shouting got so loud that 24Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25They wanted Barabbas to go free—the one who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder. Pilate let Barabbas go free. And he handed Jesus over to be killed. This is what the people wanted.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
(Mt. 27:32–44; Mk. 15:21–32; Jn. 19:17–19)
26The soldiers led Jesus away. At that same time there was a man from Cyrene named Simon coming into the city from the fields. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.
27A large crowd followed Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying. They felt sorry for him. 28But Jesus turned and said to the women, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children too. 29The time is coming when people will say, ‘The women who cannot have babies are the ones God has blessed. It’s really a blessing that they have no children to care for.’ 30Then the people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ They will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’#Quote from Hos. 10:8. 31If this can happen to someone who is good, what will happen to those who are guilty?#23:31 If this can happen … guilty Literally, “If they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?””
32There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed. 33They were led to a place called “The Skull.” There the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed the criminals to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left.
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”#23:34 Jesus said, “Father, … doing” Some early copies of Luke do not have these words.
The soldiers threw dice to divide Jesus’ clothes between them. 35The people stood there watching everything. The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus. They said, “If he is God’s Chosen One, the Messiah, then let him save himself. He saved others, didn’t he?”
36Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and made fun of him. They came and offered him some sour wine. 37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38(At the top of the cross these words were written: “this is the king of the jews.”)
39One of the criminals hanging there began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Then save yourself, and save us too!”
40But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “You should fear God. All of us will die soon. 41You and I are guilty. We deserve to die because we did wrong. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king!”
43Then Jesus said to him, “I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Dies
(Mt. 27:45–56; Mk. 15:33–41; Jn. 19:28–30)
44It was about noon, but it turned dark throughout the land until three o’clock in the afternoon, 45because the sun stopped shining. The curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. 46Jesus shouted, “Father, I put my life in your hands!”#23:46 “I put … hands!” Literally, “I put my spirit in your hands.” Quote from Ps. 31:5. After Jesus said this, he died.
47The army officer there saw what happened. He praised God, saying, “I know this man was a good man!”
48Many people had come out of the city to see all this. When they saw it, they felt very sorry and left. 49The people who were close friends of Jesus were there. Also, there were some women who had followed Jesus from Galilee. They all stood far away from the cross and watched these things.
Jesus Is Buried
(Mt. 27:57–61; Mk. 15:42–47; Jn. 19:38–42)
50-51A man named Joseph was there from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a good man, who lived the way God wanted. He was waiting for God’s kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus. 52He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put it in a tomb that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. 54It was late on Preparation day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.
55The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where he put Jesus’ body. 56Then they left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices to put on the body.
On the Sabbath day they rested, as commanded in the Law of Moses.
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