Luke 23
23
Pilate Questions Jesus
1Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate. 2They began to accuse Jesus, saying, “We caught this man telling things that mislead our people. He says that we should not pay taxes to Caesar, and he calls himself the Christ, a king.”
3Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Those are your words.”
4Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing against this man.”
5They were insisting, saying, “But Jesus makes trouble with the people, teaching all around 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. 7Since Jesus was under Herod’s authority, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. 8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, because he had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. He was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle. 9Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing. 10The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there, strongly accusing Jesus. 11After Herod and his soldiers had made fun of Jesus, they dressed him in a kingly robe and sent him back to Pilate. 12In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies, but on that day they became friends.
Jesus Must Die
13Pilate called the people together with the leading priests and the rulers. 14He said to them, “You brought this man to me, saying he makes trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of what you say. 15Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die. 16So, after I punish him, I will let him go free.” [17Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.]
18But the people shouted together, “Take this man away! Let Barabbas go free!” 19(Barabbas was a man who was in prison for his part in a riot in the city and for murder.)
20Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free and told this to the crowd. 21But they shouted again, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22A third time Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free.”
23But they continued to shout, demanding that Jesus be crucified. Their yelling became so loud that 24Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25He set free the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, and he handed Jesus over to them to do with him as they wished.
Jesus Is Crucified
26As they led Jesus away, Simon, a man from Cyrene, was coming in from the fields. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and to walk behind him.
27A large crowd of people was following Jesus, including some women who were sad and crying for him. 28But Jesus turned and said to them, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. 29The time is coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who cannot have children and who have no babies to nurse.’ 30Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ And they will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31If they act like this now when life is good, what will happen when bad times come?”
32There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be put to death. 33When they came to a place called the Skull, the soldiers crucified Jesus and the criminals—one on his right and the other on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.”
The soldiers threw lots to decide who would get his clothes. 35The people stood there watching. And the leaders made fun of Jesus, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is God’s Chosen One, the Christ.”
36The soldiers also made fun of him, coming to Jesus and offering him some vinegar. 37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38At the top of the cross these words were written: this is the king of the jews.
39One of the criminals on a cross began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Christ? Then save yourself and us.”
40But the other criminal stopped him and said, “You should fear God! You are getting the same punishment he is. 41We are punished justly, getting what we deserve for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Dies
44It was about noon, and the whole land became dark until three o’clock in the afternoon, 45because the sun did not shine. The curtain in the Temple was torn in two. 46Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, I give you my life.” After Jesus said this, he died.
47When the army officer there saw what happened, he praised God, saying, “Surely this was a good man!”
48When all the people who had gathered there to watch saw what happened, they returned home, beating their chests because they were so sad. 49But those who were close friends of Jesus, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched.
Joseph Takes Jesus’ Body
50There was a good and religious man named Joseph who was a member of the council. 51But he had not agreed to the other leaders’ plans and actions against Jesus. He was from the town of Arimathea and was waiting for the kingdom of God to come. 52Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. 53He took the body down from the cross, wrapped it in cloth, and put it in a tomb that was cut out of a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. 54This was late on Preparation Day, and when the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.
55The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid. 56Then the women left to prepare spices and perfumes.
On the Sabbath day they rested, as the law of Moses commanded.
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Luke 23: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Luke 23
23
1Then the whole group got up and led Jesus off to Pilate. 2They began to bring charges against Jesus. They said, “We have found this man misleading our people. He is against paying taxes to Caesar. And he claims to be Messiah, a king.”
3So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4Then Pilate spoke to the chief priests and the crowd. He announced, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5But they kept it up. They said, “His teaching stirs up the people all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
6When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was from Galilee. 7He learned that Jesus was from Herod’s area of authority. So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod. At that time Herod was also in Jerusalem.
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was very pleased. He had been wanting to see Jesus for a long time. He had heard much about him. He hoped to see Jesus perform a sign of some kind. 9Herod asked him many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there. With loud shouts they brought charges against him. 11Herod and his soldiers laughed at him and made fun of him. They dressed him in a beautiful robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate. 12That day Herod and Pilate became friends. Before this time they had been enemies.
13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people. 14He said to them, “You brought me this man. You said he was turning the people against the authorities. I have questioned him in front of you. I have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Herod hasn’t either. So he sent Jesus back to us. As you can see, Jesus has done nothing that is worthy of death. 16-17So I will just have him whipped and let him go.”
18But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill this man! But let Barabbas go!” 19Barabbas had been thrown into prison. He had taken part in a struggle in the city against the authorities. He had also committed murder.
20Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. So he made an appeal to the crowd again. 21But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22Pilate spoke to them for the third time. “Why?” he asked. “What wrong has this man done? I have found no reason to have him put to death. So I will just have him whipped and let him go.”
23But with loud shouts they kept calling for Jesus to be crucified. The people’s shouts won out. 24So Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25He set free the man they asked for. The man had been thrown in prison for murder and for fighting against the authorities. Pilate handed Jesus over to them so they could carry out their plans.
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
26As the soldiers led Jesus away, they took hold of Simon. Simon was from Cyrene. He was on his way in from the country. They put a wooden cross on his shoulders. Then they made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed Jesus. Some were women whose hearts were filled with sorrow. They cried loudly because of him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. 29The time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the women who can’t have children! Blessed are those who never gave birth or nursed babies!’ 30It is written,
“ ‘The people will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
They’ll say to the hills, “Cover us!” ’ (Hosea 10:8)
31People do these things when trees are green. So what will happen when trees are dry?”
32Two other men were also led out with Jesus to be killed. Both of them had broken the law. 33The soldiers brought them to the place called the Skull. There they nailed Jesus to the cross. He hung between the two criminals. One was on his right and one was on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” The soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35The people stood there watching. The rulers even made fun of Jesus. They said, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him. They offered him wine vinegar. 37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38A written sign had been placed above him. It read,
This is the King of the Jews.
39One of the criminals hanging there made fun of Jesus. He said, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself! Save us!”
40But the other criminal scolded him. “Don’t you have any respect for God?” he said. “Remember, you are under the same sentence of death. 41We are being punished fairly. We are getting just what our actions call for. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”
42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43Jesus answered him, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Dies
44It was now about noon. Then darkness covered the whole land until three o’clock. 45The sun had stopped shining. The temple curtain was torn in two. 46Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my life.” After he said this, he took his last breath.
47The Roman commander saw what had happened. He praised God and said, “Jesus was surely a man who did what was right.” 48The people had gathered to watch this sight. When they saw what happened, they felt very sad. Then they went away. 49But all those who knew Jesus stood not very far away, watching these things. They included the women who had followed him from Galilee.
Jesus Is Buried
50A man named Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council. He was a good and honest man. 51Joseph had not agreed with what the leaders had decided and done. He was from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He himself was waiting for God’s kingdom. 52Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53Joseph took it down and wrapped it in linen cloth. Then he placed it in a tomb cut in the rock. No one had ever been buried there. 54It was Preparation Day. The Sabbath day was about to begin.
55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. 56Then they went home. There they prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath day in order to obey the Law.
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