Luke 23
23
Pilate questions Jesus
(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; John 18.28-38)
1Everyone in the council got up and led Jesus off to Pilate. 2They started accusing him and said, “We caught this man trying to get our people to riot and to stop paying taxes to the Emperor. He also claims that he is the Messiah, our king.”
3Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“Those are your words,” Jesus answered.
4Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd, “I don't find him guilty of anything.”
5But they all kept on saying, “He has been teaching and causing trouble all over Judea. He started in Galilee and has now come all the way here.”
Jesus is brought before Herod
6When Pilate heard this, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee?” 7After Pilate learnt that Jesus came from the region ruled by Herod,#23.7 Herod: Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. he sent him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.
8For a long time Herod had wanted to see Jesus and was very happy because he finally had this chance. He had heard many things about Jesus and hoped to see him perform a miracle.
9Herod asked him a lot of questions, but Jesus did not answer. 10Then the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses stood up and accused him of all kinds of bad things.
11Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and insulted him. They put a fine robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12That same day Herod and Pilate became friends, even though they had been enemies before this.
The death sentence
(Matthew 27.15-26; Mark 15.6-15; John 18.39—19.16)
13Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people. 14He told them, “You brought Jesus to me and said he was a troublemaker. But I have questioned him here in front of you, and I have not found him guilty of anything that you say he has done. 15Herod didn't find him guilty either and sent him back. This man doesn't deserve to be put to death! 16-17I will just have him beaten with a whip and set free.”#23.16,17 set free: Some manuscripts add, “Pilate said this, because at every Passover he was supposed to set one prisoner free for the Jewish people.”
18But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill Jesus! Give us Barabbas!” 19Now Barabbas was in jail because he had started a riot in the city and had murdered someone.
20Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he spoke again to the crowds. 21But they kept shouting, “Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!”
22Pilate spoke to them a third time, “But what crime has he done? I have not found him guilty of anything for which he should be put to death. I will have him beaten with a whip and set free.”
23The people kept on shouting as loud as they could for Jesus to be put to death. 24Finally, Pilate gave in. 25He freed the man who was in jail for rioting and murder, because he was the one the crowd wanted to be set free. Then Pilate handed Jesus over for them to do what they wanted with him.
Jesus is nailed to a cross
(Matthew 27.31-44; Mark 15.21-32; John 19.17-27)
26As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man from Cyrene named Simon. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
27A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him. 28Jesus turned to the women and said:
Women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children. 29Some day people will say, “Women who never had children are really fortunate!” 30At that time everyone will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” They will say to the hills, “Hide us!”#Ho 10.8; Rev 6.16. 31If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry?#23.31 If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry?: This saying probably means, “If this can happen to an innocent person, what do you think will happen to one who is guilty?”
32Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. 33When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull”,#23.33 “The Skull”: The place was probably given this name because it was near a large rock in the shape of a human skull. they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.
34-35Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing.”#23.34,35 Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing.”: These words are not in some manuscripts.#Ps 22.18.#Ps 22.7.
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God's chosen Messiah!”
36The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine.#Ps 69.21. 37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
40But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don't you fear God? Aren't you getting the same punishment as this man? 41We got what was coming to us, but he didn't do anything wrong.” 42Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”
43Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”#23.43 paradise: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is used for the Garden of Eden. In New Testament times it was sometimes used for the place where God's people are happy and at rest, as they wait for the final judgment.
The death of Jesus
(Matthew 27.45-56; Mark 15.33-41; John 19.28-30)
44Around midday the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. 45The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple#23.45 curtain in the temple: There were two curtains in the temple. One was at the entrance, and the other separated the holy place from the most holy place that the Jewish people thought of as God's home on earth. The second curtain is probably the one which is meant. split down the middle.#Ex 26.31-33. 46Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died.#Ps 31.5.
47When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!”
48A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home. 49All Jesus' close friends and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.#Lk 8.2,3.
Jesus is buried
(Matthew 27.57-61; Mark 15.42-47; John 19.38-42)
50-51There was a man named Joseph, who was from Arimathea in Judea. Joseph was a good and honest man, and he was eager for God's kingdom to come. He was also a member of the Jewish council, but he did not agree with what they had decided.
52Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. 53He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in fine cloth. Then he put it in a tomb that had been cut out of solid rock and had never been used. 54It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin.#23.54 the Sabbath was about to begin: The Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday.
55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and watched how Jesus' body was placed in the tomb. 56Then they went to prepare some sweet-smelling spices for his burial. But on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses commands.#Ex 20.10; Dt 5.14.
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Luke 23: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
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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