Jesus before Pilate

23 Then the entire assembly of them set out and ^(A)brought Him before Pilate. ^2 (B)And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, “We found this man ^(C)misleading our nation and ^(D)forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is ^[a]Christ, a King.” ³ Now Pilate asked Him, saying, “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “^(E)It is as you say.” ⁴ But Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “^(F)I find no grounds for charges in the case of this man.” ⁵ But they kept on insisting, saying, “He is stirring up the people, teaching all over Judea, ^(G)starting from Galilee, as far as this place!”

⁶ Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to ^(H)Herod, ^[b]since he also was in Jerusalem ^[c]at this time.

Jesus before Herod

⁸ Now Herod was overjoyed when he saw Jesus; for ^(I)he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some ^[d]sign performed by Him. ⁹ And he questioned Him ^[e]at some length; but ^(J)He offered him no answer at all. ¹⁰ Now the chief priests and the scribes stood there, vehemently charging Him. ¹¹ And Herod, together with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, ^(K)dressing Him in a brightly shining robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² And so ^(L)Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for previously, they had been enemies toward each other.

Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release

¹³ Now Pilate summoned to himself the chief priests, the ^[f](M)rulers, and the people, ¹⁴ and he said to them, “You brought this man to me on the ground that ^(N)he is inciting the people to revolt; and behold, after examining Him before you, I ^(O)have found no basis at all in the case of this man for the charges which you are bringing against Him. ¹⁵ No, nor has ^(P)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ Therefore I will ^[g](Q)punish Him and release Him.” ¹⁷ [^[h]Now he was obligated to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

¹⁸ But they cried out all together, saying, “^(R)Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas!” ¹⁹ (He was one who had been thrown into prison for a revolt that took place in the city, and for murder.) ²⁰ But Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, ²¹ but they kept on crying out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” ²² And he said to them a third time, “Why, what has this man done wrong? I have found ^[i]in His case no grounds for a sentence of death; therefore I will ^[j](S)punish Him and release Him.” ²³ But they were insistent, with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. ²⁴ And so Pilate decided to have their demand carried out. ²⁵ And he released the man for whom they were asking, who had been thrown into prison for a revolt and murder; but he handed Jesus over to their will.

Simon Carries the Cross

^26 (T)And when they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of ^(U)Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

²⁷ Now following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were ^[k](V)mourning and grieving for Him. ²⁸ But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For behold, days are coming when they will say, ‘^(W)Blessed are those who cannot bear, and the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not nursed.’ ³⁰ Then they will begin to ^(X)say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ ³¹ For if they do these things ^[l]when the tree is green, what will happen ^[m]when it is dry?”

^32 (Y)Now two others, who were criminals, were also being led away to be put to death with Him.

The Crucifixion

^33 (Z)And when they came to the place called ^[n]The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. ³⁴ [^[o]But Jesus was saying, “^(AA)Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] ^(AB)And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves. ³⁵ And the people stood by, watching. And even the ^(AC)rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; ^(AD)let Him save Himself if this is the ^[p]Christ of God, His Chosen One.” ³⁶ The soldiers also ridiculed Him, coming up to Him, ^(AE)offering Him sour wine, ³⁷ and saying, “^(AF)If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” ³⁸ Now there was also an inscription above Him, “^(AG)THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

^39 (AH)One of the criminals who were hanged there was ^[q]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the ^[r]Christ? ^(AI)Save Yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving ^[s]what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” ⁴³ And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in ^(AJ)Paradise.”

^44 (AK)It was now about ^[t](AL)the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire land until ^[u]the ninth hour, ^45 [v]because the sun stopped shining; and ^(AM)the veil of the temple was torn ^[w]in two. ⁴⁶ And Jesus, ^(AN)crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, ^(AO)into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” And having said this, He ^[x]died. ^47 (AP)Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began ^(AQ)praising God, saying, “This man was in fact ^[y]innocent.” ⁴⁸ And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, after watching what had happened, began to return home, ^[z](AR)beating their chests. ^49 (AS)And all His acquaintances and ^(AT)the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

Jesus Is Buried

^50 (AU)And a man named Joseph, who was a ^(AV)member of the Council, a good and righteous man ⁵¹ (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was ^(AW)waiting for the kingdom of God— ⁵² this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 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. ⁵⁴ It was a ^[aa](AX)preparation day, and a Sabbath was about to ^[ab]begin. ⁵⁵ Now ^(AY)the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was laid. ⁵⁶ And then they returned and ^(AZ)prepared spices and perfumes.

And ^(BA)on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Judas Betrays Jesus

18 When Jesus had spoken these words, ^(A)He went away with His disciples across ^(B)the ^[a]ravine of the Kidron, where there was ^(C)a garden which He entered ^[b]with His disciples. ² Now Judas, who was ^[c]betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had ^(D)often met there with His disciples. ^3 (E)So Judas, having obtained ^(F)the Roman ^[d]cohort and ^(G)officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns, ^(H)torches, and weapons. ⁴ Jesus therefore, ^(I)knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and *said to them, “^(J)Whom are you seeking?” ⁵ They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. ⁶ Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷ He then asked them again, “^(K)Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” ⁹ This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “^(L)Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, ^(M)since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; ^(N)the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”

Jesus before the Priests

^12 (O)So ^(P)the Roman ^[e]cohort, the ^[f]commander, and the ^(Q)officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him, ¹³ and brought Him to ^(R)Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of ^(S)Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ¹⁴ Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that ^(T)it was in their best interest for one man to die in behalf of the people.

^15 (U)Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into ^(V)the courtyard of the high priest, ^16 (W)but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. ^17 (X)Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper *said to Peter, “^(Y)You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He *said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the slaves and the ^(Z)officers were standing there, having made ^(AA)a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were ^(AB)warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

^19 (AC)The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I ^(AD)have spoken openly to the world; I always ^(AE)taught in ^[g]synagogues and ^(AF)in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.” ²² But when He said this, one of the ^(AG)officers, who was standing nearby, ^(AH)struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” ^23 (AI)Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” ^24 (AJ)So Annas sent Him bound to ^(AK)Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

^25 (AL)Now ^(AM)Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “^(AN)You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one ^(AO)whose ear Peter cut off, *said, “Did I not see you in ^(AP)the garden with Him?” ²⁷ Peter then denied it again, and immediately ^(AQ)a rooster crowed.

Jesus before Pilate

^28 (AR)Then they *brought Jesus from ^(AS)Caiaphas into ^(AT)the ^[h]Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter ^(AU)the ^[i]Praetorium, so that ^(AV)they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. ^29 (AW)Therefore Pilate came out to them and *said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?” ³⁰ They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not ^[j]a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.” ³¹ So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not ^[k]permitted to put anyone to death.” ³² This happened so that ^(AX)the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.

³³ Therefore Pilate ^(AY)entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “^(AZ)You are the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this ^[l]on your own, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “^(BA)My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not ^[m]of this realm.” ³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “^(BB)You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: ^(BC)to testify to the truth. ^(BD)Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” ³⁸ Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”

And after saying this, he ^(BE)came out again to the Jews and *said to them, “^(BF)I find no grounds at all for charges in ^[n]His case. ^39 (BG)However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner ^[o]for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release ^[p]for you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ So they shouted again, saying, “^(BH)Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.

The Crown of Thorns

19 So Pilate then took Jesus and ^[a](A)had Him flogged. ^2 (B)And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple ^[b]cloak on Him; ³ and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “^(C)Hail, King of the Jews!” and ^(D)slapped Him in the face again and again. ⁴ And then Pilate ^(E)came out again and *said to them, “See, I am bringing Him out to you so that you will know that ^(F)I find no grounds at all for charges in ^[c]His case.” ⁵ Jesus then came out, ^(G)wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate *said to them, “Behold, the Man!” ⁶ So when the chief priests and the ^(H)officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate *said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for ^(I)I find no grounds for charges in ^[d]His case!” ⁷ The Jews answered him, “^(J)We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He ^(K)made Himself out to be the Son of God!”

⁸ Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; ⁹ and he ^(L)entered the ^[e]Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But ^(M)Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ So Pilate *said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” ¹¹ Jesus answered him, “^(N)You would have no authority ^[f]over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason ^(O)the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” ¹² As a result of this, Pilate ^[g]made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying, “^(P)If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king ^[h]opposes Caesar!”

¹³ Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and ^(Q)sat down on the judgment seat at a place called ^[i]The Pavement—but ^(R)in ^[j]Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was ^(S)the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the ^[k](T)sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Look, ^(U)your King!” ¹⁵ So they shouted, “^(V)Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king except Caesar.”

The Crucifixion

¹⁶ So he then ^(W)handed Him over to them to be crucified.

^17 (X)They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, ^[l](Y)carrying His own cross, to the place called ^(Z)the Place of a Skull, which ^(AA)in ^[m]Hebrew is called, Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified Him, and with Him ^(AB)two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. ¹⁹ Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written: “^(AC)JESUS THE NAZARENE, ^(AD)THE KING OF THE JEWS.” ²⁰ Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written ^(AE)in ^[n]Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek. ²¹ So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘^(AF)The King of the Jews’; rather, write that He said, ‘I am ^(AG)King of the Jews.’” ²² Pilate answered, “^(AH)What I have written, I have written.”

²³ Then ^(AI)the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made ^(AJ)four parts: a part to each soldier, and the ^[o]tunic also; but the tunic was seamless, woven ^[p]in one piece. ²⁴ So they said to one another, “^(AK)Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be.” ^(AL)This happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “They ^(AM)divided My garments among themselves, and they cast ^[q]lots for My clothing.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

^25 (AN)Now beside the cross of Jesus stood ^(AO)His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and ^(AP)Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ So when Jesus saw His mother, and ^(AQ)the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “^(AR)Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷ Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her into ^(AS)his own household.

²⁸ After this, Jesus, ^(AT)knowing that all things had already been accomplished, ^(AU)in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, *said, “^(AV)I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so ^(AW)they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. ³⁰ Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “^(AX)It is finished!” And He bowed His head and ^(AY)gave up His spirit.

Care of the Body of Jesus

³¹ Now then, since it was ^(AZ)the day of preparation, to prevent ^(BA)the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (^[r]for that Sabbath was a ^(BB)high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who was ^(BC)crucified with Him; ³³ but after they came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ Yet one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately ^(BD)blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has ^(BE)testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. ³⁶ For these things took place ^(BF)so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “^(BG)Not a bone of Him shall be ^[s]broken.” ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, “^(BH)They will look at Him whom they pierced.”

³⁸ Now ^(BI)after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a ^(BJ)secret one for ^(BK)fear of the ^[t]Jews, requested of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. ^39 (BL)Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, ^(BM)bringing a ^[u]mixture of ^(BN)myrrh and aloes, about a ^[v](BO)hundred litras weight. ⁴⁰ So they took the body of Jesus and ^(BP)bound it in ^(BQ)linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a ^(BR)new tomb ^(BS)in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴² Therefore because of the Jewish day of ^(BT)preparation, since the tomb was ^(BU)nearby, they laid Jesus there.