Luke 23:1-56; John 18;
John 19
1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And
they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our
nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a
king." 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of
the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. 4 Then
Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for
a charge against this man." 5 But they insisted, "He
stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and
has come all the way here." 6 On hearing this, Pilate
asked if the man was a Galilean. 7When he learned that Jesus was
under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at
that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased,
because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard
about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He
plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The
chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently
accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and
mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That
day Herod and Pilate became friends--before this they had been enemies. 13 Pilate
called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and
said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people
to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for
your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent
him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore,
I will punish him and then release him. " 18 With one
voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19 (Barabbas
had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder. 20 Wanting
to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they
kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him! 22 For the
third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I
have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him
punished and then release him." 23 But with loud shouts
they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So
Pilate decided to grant their demand.25 He released the man who had
been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for,
and surrendered Jesus to their will. 26 As they led him away,
they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put
the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.27 A large
number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus
turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep
for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will
come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never
bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then " 'they
will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills,
"Cover us!" ' 31 For if men do these things when the
tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 32 Two
other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.33 When
they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with
the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus
said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are
doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The
people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He
saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen
One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They
offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of
the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice
above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of
the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the
Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal
rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under
the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are
getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then
he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " 43 Jesus
answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in
paradise." 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and
darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for
the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus
called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. 47 The
centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this
was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had
gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and
went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women
who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 50 Now
there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who
had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of
Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.52 Going to
Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. 53 Then he took it down,
wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which
no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the
Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with
Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid
in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and
perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his
disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive
grove, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who
betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his
disciples. 3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment
of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying
torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was
going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you
want?" 5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.
"I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with
them.) 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back
and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Who is it
you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 "I
told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me,
then let these men go." 9 This happened so that the words
he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave
me." 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and
struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's
name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your
sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" 12 Then
the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested
Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who
was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas
was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for
the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following
Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus
into the high priest's courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait
outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came
back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17"You
are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, "I am not." 18 It was cold, and the
servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter
also was standing with them, warming himself. 19 Meanwhile,
the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 "I
have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in
synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing
in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely
they know what I said." 22 When Jesus said this, one of
the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer
the high priest?" he demanded.23 "If I said something
wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke
the truth, why did you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent
him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 As Simon
Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his
disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not." 26 One
of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut
off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27 Again
Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow. 28 Then
the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it
was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter
the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So
Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against
this man?" 30 "If he were not a criminal," they
replied, "we would not have handed him over to you." 31 Pilate
said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But
we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. 32 This
happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was
going to die would be fulfilled. 33 Pilate then went back
inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the
Jews?" 34"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked,
"or did others talk to you about me?" 35 "Am I
a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests
who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36 Jesus
said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would
fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another
place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this
reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." 38 "What
is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said,
"I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is
your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover.
Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?" 40 They
shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken
part in a rebellion.
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The
soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They
clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and
again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the
face. 4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews,
"Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis
for a charge against him."5 When Jesus came out wearing the
crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the
man!" 6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials
saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" But Pilate answered,
"You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge
against him." 7The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and
according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of
God." 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and
he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked
Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 "Do you refuse to
speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to
free you or to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered, "You
would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore
the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." 12 From
then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If
you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a
king opposes Caesar." 13 When Pilate heard this, he
brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the
Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the
day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. "Here is your
king," Pilate said to the Jews.15 But they shouted, "Take
him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your
king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief
priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to
be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying
his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is
called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two
others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate
had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth,
the king of the jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for
the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written
in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.21 The chief priests of the Jews
protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this
man claimed to be king of the Jews." 22 Pilate answered,
"What I have written, I have written." 23When the
soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four
shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was
seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24 "Let's
not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will
get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
"They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."
So this is what the soldiers did. 25 Near the cross of Jesus
stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the
disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear
woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple,
"Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into
his home. 28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so
that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A
jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on
a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When
he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that,
he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 Now it was the
day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the
Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked
Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The
soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been
crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when
they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his
legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with
a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man
who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he
tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These
things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his
bones will be broken," 37 and, as another scripture says,
"They will look on the one they have pierced." 38 Later,
Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a
disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's
permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was
accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.
Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking
Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.
This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the
place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new
tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the
Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
