23:1 Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate.
23:2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
23:3 So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “You yourself say it.”
23:4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”
23:5 But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee even as far as this place.”
23:6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
23:7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.
23:8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him.
23:9 And he questioned Him at some length, but He answered him nothing.
23:10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing Him.
23:11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate.
23:12 Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.
23:13 And Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
23:14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found in this man no guilt of what you are accusing Him.
23:15 No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.
23:16 Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
23:17 [Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
23:18 But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!”
23:19 (He had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city and for murder.)
23:20 But again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Jesus,
23:21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!”
23:22 And he said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt worthy of death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
23:23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices were prevailing.
23:24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted.
23:25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
23:26 And when they led Him away, they took hold of a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
23:27 And following Him was a large multitude of the people, and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him.
23:28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop crying for Me, but cry for yourselves and for your children.
23:29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’
23:30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’
23:31 For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
23:32 Now two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.
23:33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
23:34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
23:35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were scoffing at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”
23:36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,
23:37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”
23:38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
23:39 And one of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”
23:40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
23:41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
23:42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”
23:43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
23:44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour,
23:45 because the sun was obscured. And the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two.
23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was righteous.”
23:48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, were returning, beating their chests.
23:49 And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, watching these things.
23:50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a Council member, a good and righteous man
23:51 (he had not consented to their counsel and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God;
23:52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
23:53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.
23:54 It was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
23:55 Now the women, who had come with Him from Galilee, followed and beheld the tomb and how His body was laid.
23:56 Then after they returned, they prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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