23Luke 23

Pilate Questions Jesus

1Everyone in the council got up and led Jesus off to Pilate.Select Luke 23:1

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.”Select Luke 23:2

3Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Those are your words,” Jesus answered.Select Luke 23:3

4Pilate told the chief priests and the crowd, “I don't find him guilty of anything.”Select Luke 23:4

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.”Select Luke 23:5

Jesus Is Brought before Herod

6When Pilate heard this, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee?”Select Luke 23:6

7After Pilate learned that Jesus came from the region ruled by Herod, he sent him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.Select Luke 23:7

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 work a miracle.Select Luke 23:8

9Herod asked him a lot of questions, but Jesus did not answer.Select Luke 23:9

10Then the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses stood up and accused him of all kinds of bad things.Select Luke 23:10

11Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus and insulted him. They put a fine robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.Select Luke 23:11

12That same day Herod and Pilate became friends, even though they had been enemies before this.Select Luke 23:12

The Death Sentence

13Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people.Select Luke 23:13

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.Select Luke 23:14

15Herod didn't find him guilty either and sent him back. This man doesn't deserve to be put to death!Select Luke 23:15

17I will just have him beaten with a whip and set free.”Select Luke 23:17

18But the whole crowd shouted, “Kill Jesus! Give us Barabbas!”Select Luke 23:18

19Now Barabbas was in jail because he had started a riot in the city and had murdered someone.Select Luke 23:19

20Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he spoke again to the crowds.Select Luke 23:20

21But they kept shouting, “Nail him to a cross! Nail him to a cross!”Select Luke 23:21

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.”Select Luke 23:22

23The people kept on shouting as loud as they could for Jesus to be put to death.Select Luke 23:23

24Finally, Pilate gave in.Select Luke 23:24

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.Select Luke 23:25

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

26As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man named Simon who was from Cyrene. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.Select Luke 23:26

27A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him.Select Luke 23:27

28Jesus turned to the women and said: Women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children.Select Luke 23:28

29Someday people will say, “Women who never had children are really fortunate!”Select Luke 23:29

30At that time everyone will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” They will say to the hills, “Hide us!”Select Luke 23:30

31If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry?Select Luke 23:31

32Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus.Select Luke 23:32

33When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.Select Luke 23:33

35Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don't know what they're doing.” 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!”Select Luke 23:35

36The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine.Select Luke 23:36

37They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”Select Luke 23:37

38Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”Select Luke 23:38

39One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”Select Luke 23:39

40But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don't you fear God? Aren't you getting the same punishment as this man?Select Luke 23:40

41We got what was coming to us, but he didn't do anything wrong.”Select Luke 23:41

42Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”Select Luke 23:42

43Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”Select Luke 23:43

The Death of Jesus

44Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon.Select Luke 23:44

45The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple split down the middle.Select Luke 23:45

46Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died.Select Luke 23:46

47When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!”Select Luke 23:47

48A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home.Select Luke 23:48

49All of Jesus' close friends and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.Select Luke 23:49

Jesus Is Buried

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 council, but he did not agree with what they had decided.Select Luke 23:51

52Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.Select Luke 23:52

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.Select Luke 23:53

54It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin.Select Luke 23:54

55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and watched how Jesus' body was placed in the tomb.Select Luke 23:55

56Then they went to prepare some sweet-smelling spices for his burial. But on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses commands.Select Luke 23:56