Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified^(A)

19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.^{(B) 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!”^(C) And they slapped him in the face.^(D)

⁴ Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out^(E) to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”^{(F) 5} When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe,^(G) 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.^(H) As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”^(I)

⁷ The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die,^(J) because he claimed to be the Son of God.”^(K)

⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, ⁹ and he went back inside the palace.^(L) “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.^{(M) 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.^(N) Therefore the one who handed me over to you^(O) is guilty of a greater sin.”

¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king^(P) opposes Caesar.”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat^(Q) at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic^(R) is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation^(S) of the Passover; it was about noon.^(T)

“Here is your king,”^(U) 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.^(V)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(W)

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross,^(X) he went out to the place of the Skull^(Y) (which in Aramaic^(Z) is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others^(AA)—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,^(AB) the king of the jews.^{(AC) 20} Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,^(AD) 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.”^(AE)

²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³ When 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^(AF) that said,

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵ Near the cross^(AH) of Jesus stood his mother,^(AI) his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^{(AJ) 26} When Jesus saw his mother^(AK) there, and the disciple whom he loved^(AL) standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,^[b] here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus^(AM)

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,^(AN) and so that Scripture would be fulfilled,^(AO) Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar^(AP) 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.”^(AQ) With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation,^(AR) and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses^(AS) during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.^{(AT) 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^(AU) Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.^{(AV) 35} The man who saw it^(AW) has given testimony, and his testimony is true.^(AX) 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:^(AY) “Not one of his bones will be broken,”^{[c](AZ) 37} and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”^[d](BA)

The Burial of Jesus^(BB)

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 Jewish leaders.^(BC) With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus,^(BD) the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[e] 40} Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.^(BE) This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.^{(BF) 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. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation^(BG) and since the tomb was nearby,^(BH) they laid Jesus there.

The Empty Tomb^(BI)

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene^(BJ) went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.^{(BK) 2} So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,^(BL) and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”^(BM)

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.^{(BN) 4} Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in^(BO) at the strips of linen^(BP) lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.^(BQ) The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,^(BR) also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture^(BS) that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)^{(BT) 10} Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb^{(BU) 12} and saw two angels in white,^(BV) seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”^(BW)

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”^{(BX) 14} At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,^(BY) but she did not realize that it was Jesus.^(BZ)

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?^(CA) Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,^(CB) “Rabboni!”^(CC) (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers^(CD) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father^(CE) and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene^(CF) went to the disciples^(CG) with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,^(CH) Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(CI) be with you!”^{(CJ) 20} After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.^(CK) The disciples were overjoyed^(CL) when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!^(CM) As the Father has sent me,^(CN) I am sending you.”^{(CO) 22} And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(CP) 23} If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”^(CQ)

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas^(CR) (also known as Didymus^[f]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,^(CS) I will not believe.”^(CT)

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(CU) be with you!”^{(CV) 27} Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”^(CW)

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;^(CX) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”^(CY)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs^(CZ) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.^{(DA) 31} But these are written that you may believe^[g](DB) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,^(DC) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(DD)

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples,^(DE) by the Sea of Galilee.^[h](DF) It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas^(DG) (also known as Didymus^[i]), Nathanael^(DH) from Cana in Galilee,^(DI) the sons of Zebedee,^(DJ) and two other disciples were together. ³ “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.^(DK)

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.^(DL)

⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.^(DM)

⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved^(DN) said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.^{[j] 9} When they landed, they saw a fire^(DO) of burning coals there with fish on it,^(DP) and some bread.

¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.^{(DQ) 14} This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples^(DR) after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”^(DS)

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”^(DT)

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”^(DU)

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”^(DV) He said, “Lord, you know all things;^(DW) you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.^{(DX) 18} Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death^(DY) by which Peter would glorify God.^(DZ) Then he said to him, “Follow me!”^(EA)

²⁰ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved^(EB) was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)^{(EC) 21} When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

²² Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,^(ED) what is that to you? You must follow me.”^{(EE) 23} Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers^(EF) that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things^(EG) and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.^(EH)

²⁵ Jesus did many other things as well.^(EI) If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

1 Simon Peter, a servant^(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,^(B)

To those who through the righteousness^(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ^(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

² Grace and peace be yours in abundance^(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

³ His divine power^(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him^(H) who called us^(I) by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(L)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;^{(M) 6} and to knowledge, self-control;^(N) and to self-control, perseverance;^(O) and to perseverance, godliness;^{(P) 7} and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.^{(Q) 8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive^(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(S) 9} But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,^(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.^(U)

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling^(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,^{(W) 11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom^(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(Y)

Prophecy of Scripture

¹² So I will always remind you of these things,^(Z) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth^(AA) you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory^(AB) as long as I live in the tent of this body,^{(AC) 14} because I know that I will soon put it aside,^(AD) as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.^{(AE) 15} And I will make every effort to see that after my departure^(AF) you will always be able to remember these things.

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,^(AG) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.^{(AH) 17} He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^{[b](AI) 18} We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.^(AJ)

¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,^(AK) and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light^(AL) shining in a dark place, until the day dawns^(AM) and the morning star^(AN) rises in your hearts.^{(AO) 20} Above all, you must understand^(AP) that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God^(AQ) as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.^(AR)

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(AS) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(AT) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(AU) who bought them^(AV)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(AW) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed^(AX) these teachers will exploit you^(AY) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned,^(AZ) but sent them to hell,^[c] putting them in chains of darkness^[d] to be held for judgment;^{(BA) 5} if he did not spare the ancient world^(BB) when he brought the flood on its ungodly people,^(BC) but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;^{(BD) 6} if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes,^(BE) and made them an example^(BF) of what is going to happen to the ungodly;^{(BG) 7} and if he rescued Lot,^(BH) a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless^{(BI) 8} (for that righteous man,^(BJ) living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— ⁹ if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials^(BK) and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.^{(BL) 10} This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire^(BM) of the flesh^[e] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;^{(BN) 11} yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from^[f] the Lord.^{(BO) 12} But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.^(BP)

¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.^(BQ) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^{[g](BR) 14} With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce^(BS) the unstable;^(BT) they are experts in greed^(BU)—an accursed brood!^{(BV) 15} They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam^(BW) son of Bezer,^[h] who loved the wages of wickedness. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.^(BX)

¹⁷ These people are springs without water^(BY) and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.^{(BZ) 18} For they mouth empty, boastful words^(CA) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping^(CB) from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”^{(CC) 20} If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing^(CD) our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ^(CE) and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.^{(CF) 21} It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.^{(CG) 22} Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”^[i](CH) and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(CI) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(CJ) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets^(CK) and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.^(CL)

³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days^(CM) scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.^{(CN) 4} They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?^(CO) Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”^{(CP) 5} But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word^(CQ) the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.^{(CR) 6} By these waters also the world of that time^(CS) was deluged and destroyed.^{(CT) 7} By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,^(CU) being kept for the day of judgment^(CV) and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.^{(CW) 9} The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,^(CX) as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient^(CY) with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.^(CZ)

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.^(DA) The heavens will disappear with a roar;^(DB) the elements will be destroyed by fire,^(DC) and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.^[j](DD)

¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward^(DE) to the day of God and speed its coming.^[k](DF) That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.^{(DG) 13} But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,^(DH) where righteousness dwells.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless^(DI) and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience^(DJ) means salvation,^(DK) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.^{(DL) 16} He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable^(DM) people distort,^(DN) as they do the other Scriptures,^(DO) to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard^(DP) so that you may not be carried away by the error^(DQ) of the lawless^(DR) and fall from your secure position.^{(DS) 18} But grow in the grace^(DT) and knowledge^(DU) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(DV) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(DW)