Luke 23
23
Pilate
1-2Then they all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.”
3Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?”
“Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied.
4Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, “I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.”
5But they were vehement. “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”
6-7When Pilate heard that, he asked, “So, he’s a Galilean?” Realizing that he properly came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days.
8-10Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he’d heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular. He peppered him with questions. Jesus didn’t answer—not one word. But the high priests and religion scholars were right there, saying their piece, strident and shrill in their accusations.
11-12Mightily offended, Herod turned on Jesus. His soldiers joined in, taunting and jeering. Then they dressed him up in an elaborate king costume and sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became thick as thieves. Always before they had kept their distance.
13-16Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, “You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It’s clear that he’s done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”
18-20At that, the crowd went wild: “Kill him! Give us Barabbas!” (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.
21But they kept shouting back, “Crucify! Crucify him!”
22He tried a third time. “But for what crime? I’ve found nothing in him deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”
23-25But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.
Skull Hill
26-31As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus. A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on. At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. The time is coming when they’ll say, ‘Lucky the women who never conceived! Lucky the wombs that never gave birth! Lucky the breasts that never gave milk!’ Then they’ll start calling to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!’ calling to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’ If people do these things to a live, green tree, can you imagine what they’ll do with deadwood?”
32Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution.
33When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.
34-35Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!”
36-37The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!”
38Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews.
39One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!”
40-41But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.”
42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”
43He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
44-46By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” Then he breathed his last.
* * *
47When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: “This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!”
48-49All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief and headed home. Those who knew Jesus well, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a respectful distance and kept vigil.
50-54There was a man by the name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a man of good heart and good character. He had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea. He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Taking him down, he wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb chiseled into the rock, a tomb never yet used. It was the day before Sabbath, the Sabbath just about to begin.
55-56The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. Then they went back to prepare burial spices and perfumes. They rested quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded.
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Luke 23: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Luke 23
23
1And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate. 2And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, and 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. 4And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no fault in this man. 5But they were the more urgent, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judæa, and beginning from Galilee even unto this place. 6But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. 7And when he knew that he was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him unto Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days.
8Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him. 9And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. 11And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate. 12And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
13And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him. 16I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17#23:17 Many ancient authorities insert v. 17. Now he must needs release unto them at the feast one prisoner. Comp. Mat 27:15; Mrk 15:6; Jhn 18:39. Others add the same words after v. 19. 18But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:— 19one who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison. 20And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus; 21but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him. 22And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him. 23But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done. 25And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
26And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus.
27And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who 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 which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that 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 the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
32And there were also two others, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots. 35And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen. 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar, 37and saying, If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself. 38And there was also a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us. 40But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even 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, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. 43And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
44And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45the sun’s light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost. 47And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts. 49And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.
50And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good and righteous man 51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of God: 52this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 53And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain. 54And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on. 55And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid. 56And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.
And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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