Luke 23
23
1 #
Mt 27.1-2; Mk 15.1; Jn 18.28. Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate. 2#Lk 20.25. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.” 3#Mt 27.11-12; Mk 15.2-3; Jn 18.29-38; Lk 22.70. And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” 4#Lk 23.14,22,41; Mt 27.24; Jn 19.4,6; Acts 13.28. And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no crime in this man.” 5But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”
6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8#Lk 9.9; Acts 4.27-28. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9#Mk 15.5. So he questioned him at some length; but he made no answer. 10The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11#Mk 15.17-19; Jn 19.2-3. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate. 12And Herod 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 the rulers and the people, 14#Lk 23.4,22,41. and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him; 15neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; 16#Lk 23.22; Jn 19.12-14. I will therefore chastise him and release him.” 17#23.17 Here, or after verse 19, other ancient authorities add verse 17, Now he was obliged to release one man to them at the festival
18 #
Mt 27.20-23; Mk 15.11-14; Acts 3.13-14; Jn 18.38-40; 19.14-15. But they all cried out together, “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 for murder. 20Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; 21but they shouted out, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him.” 23#Mt 27.26; Mk 15.15. But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
26 #
Mt 27.32; Mk 15.21; Jn 19.17. And 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 bewailed and lamented him. 28#Lk 21.23-24; 19.41-44. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!’ 30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33#Mt 27.33-44; Mk 15.22-32; Jn 19.17-24. And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34#Acts 7.60; Ps 22.18. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”#23.34 Other ancient authorities omit the sentence And Jesus … what they do And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35#Lk 4.23. And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36#Mk 15.23; Ps 69.21. The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him,#23.38 Other ancient authorities add in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew “This is the King of the Jews.”
39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the 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? 41#Lk 23.4,14,22. And 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 when you come into#23.42 Other ancient authorities read in your kingdom.” 43#2 Cor 12.3; Rev 2.7. And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44 #
Mt 27.45-56; Mk 15.33-41; Jn 19.25-30. It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land#23.44 Or earth until the ninth hour, 45#Ex 26.31-35; Heb 9.8; 10.19. while the sun's light failed;#23.45 Or the sun was eclipsed. Other ancient authorities read the sun was darkened and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46#Ps 31.5. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. 49#Lk 8.1-3; 23.55-56; 24.10. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.
50 #
Mt 27.57-61; Mk 15.42-47; Jn 19.38-42; Acts 13.29. Now 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 purpose and deed, and he was 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 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.#23.54 Greek was dawning 55The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; 56#Mk 16.1; Ex 12.16; 20.10. then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Luke 23
23
Pilate Questions Jesus
(Matthew 27:11–14; Mark 15:1–5; John 18:28–38)
1Then the entire assembly stood up and took him to Pilate.
2They began to accuse Jesus by saying, “We found that he stirs up trouble among our people: He keeps them from paying taxes to the emperor, and he says that he is Christ, a king.”
3Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Yes, I am,” Jesus answered.
4Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I can’t find this man guilty of any crime.”
Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod
5The priests and the crowd became more forceful. They said, “He stirs up the people throughout Judea with his teachings. He started in Galilee and has come here.”
6When Pilate heard that, he asked if the man was from Galilee. 7When Pilate found out that he was, he sent Jesus to Herod. Herod ruled Galilee and was in Jerusalem at that time.
8Herod was very pleased to see Jesus. For a long time he had wanted to see him. He had heard about Jesus and hoped to see him perform some kind of miracle. 9Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus wouldn’t answer him. 10Meanwhile, the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings stood there and shouted their accusations against Jesus.
11Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and made fun of him. They put a colorful robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12So Herod and Pilate became friends that day. They had been enemies before this.
13Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people. 14He told them, “You brought me this man as someone who turns the people against the government. I’ve questioned him in front of you and haven’t found this man guilty of the crimes of which you accuse him. 15Neither could Herod. So he sent this man back to us. This man hasn’t done anything to deserve the death penalty. 16So I’m going to have him whipped and set free.” #23:16 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 17: “At every Passover festival the governor had to set someone free for them.”
The Crowd Rejects Jesus
(Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; John 18:39–40)
18The whole crowd then shouted, “Take him away! Free Barabbas for us.” 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for his involvement in a riot that had taken place in the city and for murder.)
20But because Pilate wanted to free Jesus, he spoke to the people again.
21They began yelling, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22A third time Pilate spoke to them. He asked, “Why? What has he done wrong? I haven’t found this man deserving of the death penalty. So I’m going to have him whipped and set free.”
23But the crowd pressured Pilate. They shouted that Jesus had to be crucified, and they finally won. 24Pilate decided to give in to their demand. 25He freed Barabbas, who had been put in prison for rioting and murdering, because that’s what they wanted. But he let them do what they wanted to Jesus.
Jesus Is Led Away to Be Crucified
26As the soldiers led Jesus away, they grabbed a man named Simon, who was from the city of Cyrene. Simon was coming into Jerusalem. They laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
27A large crowd followed Jesus. The women in the crowd cried and sang funeral songs for him. 28Jesus turned to them and said, “You women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me! Rather, cry for yourselves and your children! 29The time is coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who couldn’t get pregnant, who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child.’ 30Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31If people do this to a green tree, what will happen to a dry one?”
32Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be executed with him.
The Crucifixion
(Matthew 27:31–44; Mark 15:20–32; John 19:16b–24)
33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him. The criminals were also crucified, one on his right and the other on his left.
34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” #23:34 Some manuscripts and translations omit “Then … doing.”
Meanwhile, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.
35The people stood there watching. But the rulers were making sarcastic remarks. They said, “He saved others. If he’s the Messiah that God has chosen, let him save himself!” 36The soldiers also made fun of him. They would go up to him, offer him some vinegar, 37and say, “If you’re the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38A written notice was placed above him. It said, “This is the king of the Jews.”
Criminals Talk to Jesus
39One of the criminals hanging there insulted Jesus by saying, “So you’re really the Messiah, are you? Well, save yourself and us!”
40But the other criminal scolded him: “Don’t you fear God at all? Can’t you see that you’re condemned in the same way that he is? 41Our punishment is fair. We’re getting what we deserve. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”
42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”
43Jesus said to him, “I can guarantee this truth: Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Dies on the Cross
(Matthew 27:45–56; Mark 15:33–41; John 19:28–30)
44Around noon darkness came over the entire land and lasted until three in the afternoon. 45The sun had stopped shining. The curtain in the temple was split in two.
46Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” After he said this, he died.
47When an army officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly, this man was innocent!” 48Crowds had gathered to see the sight. But when all of them saw what had happened, they cried and returned to the city. 49All his friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched everything.
Jesus Is Placed in a Tomb
(Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; John 19:38–42)
50There was a good man who had God’s approval. His name was Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish council, 51but he had not agreed with what they had done. He was from the Jewish city of Arimathea, and he was waiting for God’s kingdom.
52He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53After he took it down from the cross, he wrapped it in linen. Then he laid the body in a tomb cut in rock, a tomb in which no one had ever been buried. 54It was Friday, and the day of rest—a holy day, was just beginning.
55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed closely behind Joseph. They observed the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56Then they went back to the city and prepared spices and perfumes. But on the day of rest—a holy day, they rested according to the commandment.
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