Luk 23 | HCSB | STEP | Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate .

‏ Luke 23

Jesus Faces Pilate

1 Then ^a their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before ^{▼▼Pilate: Pontius Pilate was governor of the province of Judea a.d. 26-36.}Pilate. 2 They began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes ^c to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the ^{▼▼Messiah: Or the Christ; the Greek word Christos means "the anointed one".}Messiah, a King.”

3 So Pilate asked Him, ^e “Are You the King of the Jews?” ^fHe answered him, “You have said it.” ^{▼▼Or That is true; an affirmative oath}

4 Pilate then told the ^{▼▼chief priest(s): A group of Jewish temple officers that included the highpriest, captain of the temple, temple overseers, and treasurers}chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds ⁱ for charging this man.”

5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, ^j teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee ^k where He started even to here.”

Jesus Faces Herod Antipas

6 When Pilate ^l heard this, ^{▼▼Other mss read heard “Galilee”} he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Finding that He was under ^{▼▼Herod/Herodians: The name of the Idumean family ruling Palestine from 37 b.c. to a.d. 95; the main rulers from this family mentioned in the NT are: Herod Antipas(4 b.c.-a.d. 39) son of Herod the Great; ruled one-fourth of his father's kingdom (Galilee and Perea); killed John the Baptist and mocked Jesus; Herod I (37 b.c.-4 b.c.) also known as Herod the Great; built the great temple in Jerusalem and massacred the male babies in Bethlehem; Herod Agrippa I (A.D. 3744) The grandson of Herod the Great; he beheaded James the apostle and imprisoned Peter; Herod Agrippa II (A.D. 52ca 95) The great-grandson of Herod the Great; he heard Paul's defense. Herodians were political supporters of Herod the Great and his family}Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, ^o who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see Him because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle ^{▼▼Or sign} performed by Him. 9 So he kept asking Him questions, but Jesus did not answer him. ^q 10 The chief priests and the ^{▼▼scribe(s): A professional group in Judaism that copied the law of Moses and interpreted it, especially in legal cases}scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt, mocked ^s Him, dressed Him in a brilliant robe, ^t and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends. ^{▼▼Lit friends with one another
,} ^v Previously, they had been hostile toward each other.

Jesus or Barabbas

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, ^w 14 and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people. ^x But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds ^y to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of. 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will have Him whipped ^{▼▼Gk paideuo; to discipline or “teach a lesson”; 1Kg 12:11,14 LXX; 2Ch 10:11,14; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio
,} ^aa and then release Him.” [ 17 For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.] ^{▼▼Other mss omit bracketed text
,} ^ac

18 Then ^ad they all cried out together, “Take this man away! ^ae Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, ^af addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify Him!”

22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong? ^ag I have found in Him no grounds ^ah for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have Him whipped and then release Him.”

23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices ^{▼▼Other mss add and those of the chief priests} won out. 24 So ^aj Pilate decided to grant their demand ^ak 25 and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will. ^al

The Way to the Cross

26 As ^am they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, ^an who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross ^ao on him to carry behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people followed Him, including women who were mourning and lamenting Him. ^ap 28 But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, ^aq do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children. 29 Look, the days are coming ^ar when they will say, ‘The women without children, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed, are fortunate!’ ^as 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ^{at
,} ^au 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” ^av

Crucified between Two Criminals

32 Two others – criminals ^aw – were also led away to be executed with Him. 33 When ^ax they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. [ 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, ^ay forgive ^az them, because they do not know what they are doing.” ^ba] ^{▼▼Other mss omit bracketed text} And they divided His clothes and cast lots. ^bc

35 The ^bd people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing: ^be “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” ^bf 36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine ^bg 37 and said, “If You are the King of the Jews, ^bh save Yourself!”

38 An inscription was above Him: ^{▼▼Other mss add written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew letters} THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 Then ^bj one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at ^{▼▼Or began to blaspheme} Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”

40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, ^bl since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ^bm 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me ^{▼▼Other mss add Lord
,} ^bo when You come into Your kingdom!” ^bp

43 And He said to him, “ ^{▼▼I assure you: This is a phrase used only by Jesus to testify to the certainty and importance of His words; in Mt, Mk and Lk it is literally Amen, I say to you, and in Jn it is literally Amen, amen, I say to you.}I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.” ^br

The Death of Jesus

44 It ^bs was now about noon, ^{▼▼Lit about the sixth hour} and darkness came over the whole land ^{▼▼Or whole earth} until three, ^{▼▼Lit the ninth hour} 45 because the sun’s light failed. ^{▼▼Other mss read three, and the sun was darkened} The curtain ^bx of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” ^{by
,} ^bz Saying this, He breathed His last.

47 When the ^{▼▼centurion: A Roman officer who commanded about 100 soldiers}centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify ^cb God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. ^{▼▼= mourning
,} ^cd 49 But ^ce all who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, ^cf watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

50 There ^cg was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the ^{▼▼Sanhedrin: The supreme council of Judaism with 70 members, patterned after Moses' 70 elders}Sanhedrin, 51 who had not agreed with their plan ^ci and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God. ^cj 52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed. ^{▼▼Or interred, or laid
,} ^cl 54 It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. ^{▼▼Lit was dawning; not in the morning but at sundown Friday} 55 The women ^cn who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. ^co And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. ^cp