Luke 23-24

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Jesus Faces Pilate

23 Then^(A) their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. ² They began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes^(B) to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Messiah, a King.”

³ So Pilate asked Him,^(C) “Are You the King of the Jews?”^(D)

He answered him, “You have said it.”^[a]

⁴ Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds^(E) for charging this man.”

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

Jesus Faces Herod Antipas

⁶ When Pilate^(H) heard this,^[b] he asked if the man was a Galilean. ⁷ Finding that He was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod,^(I) 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^[c] performed by Him. ⁹ So he kept asking Him questions, but Jesus did not answer him.^{(J) 10} The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. ¹¹ Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt, mocked^(K) Him, dressed Him in a brilliant robe,^(L) and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² That very day Herod and Pilate became friends.^[d](M) Previously, they had been hostile toward each other.

Jesus or Barabbas

¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,^{(N) 14} and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people.^(O) But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds^(P) 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^[e](Q) and then release Him.” [¹⁷ For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.]^[f](R)

¹⁸ Then^(S) they all cried out together, “Take this man away!^(T) 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,^(U) 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?^(V) I have found in Him no grounds^(W) 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^[g] won out. ²⁴ So^(X) Pilate decided to grant their demand^{(Y) 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.^(Z)

The Way to the Cross

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

Crucified between Two Criminals

³² Two others—criminals^(AJ)—were also led away to be executed with Him. ³³ When^(AK) 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,^(AL) forgive^(AM) them, because they do not know what they are doing.”^(AN)]^[i] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.^(AO)

³⁵ The^(AP) people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing:^(AQ) “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!”^{(AR) 36} The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine^{(AS) 37} and said, “If You are the King of the Jews,^(AT) save Yourself!”

³⁸ An inscription was above Him:^[j]

³⁹ Then^(AU) one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at^[k] Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”

⁴⁰ But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God,^(AV) 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.”^{(AW) 42} Then he said, “Jesus, remember me^[l](AX) when You come into Your kingdom!”^(AY)

⁴³ And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”^(AZ)

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁴ It^(BA) was now about noon,^[m] and darkness came over the whole land^[n] until three,^{[o] 45} because the sun’s light failed.^[p] The curtain^(BB) 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.”^(BC)[q] Saying this, He breathed His last.

⁴⁷ When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify^(BD) 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.^{[r](BE) 49} But^(BF) all who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance,^(BG) watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

⁵⁰ There^(BH) was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, ⁵¹ who had not agreed with their plan^(BI) and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God.^{(BJ) 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.^{[s](BK) 54} It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.^{[t] 55} The women^(BL) 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.^(BM) And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.^(BN)

Resurrection Morning

24 On^(BO) the first day of the week,^(BP) very early in the morning, they^[u] came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. ³ They went in but did not find the body^(BQ) of the Lord Jesus.^{(BR) 4} While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling^(BS) clothes. ⁵ So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.^[v]

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. ⁶ “He is not here, but He has been resurrected!^(BT) Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,^{(BU) 7} saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed^(BV) into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise^(BW) on the third day’?” ⁸ And they remembered His words.

⁹ Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven^(BX) and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James,^(BY) and the other women with them were telling the apostles^(BZ) these things. ¹¹ But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe^(CA) the women. ¹² Peter,^(CB) however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths.^[w](CC) So he went home, amazed^(CD) at what had happened.

The Emmaus Disciples

¹³ Now^(CE) that same day two of them were on their way to a village called^[x] Emmaus, which was about seven miles^[y](CF) from Jerusalem.^{(CG) 14} Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. ¹⁵ And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus Himself came near and began to walk along with them. ¹⁶ But they^[z] were prevented from recognizing Him.^{(CH) 17} Then He asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having^[aa] with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.

¹⁸ The one named Cleopas answered Him, “Are You the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?”^(CI)

¹⁹ “What things?” He asked them.

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene,^(CJ) who was a Prophet^(CK) powerful in action and speech^(CL) before God and all the people,^{(CM) 20} and how our chief priests and leaders^(CN) handed Him over to be sentenced to death,^(CO) and they crucified Him.^{(CP) 21} But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem^(CQ) Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day^(CR) since these things happened. ²² Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, ²³ and when they didn’t find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Him.”^(CS)

²⁵ He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken!^{(CT) 26} Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer^(CU) these things and enter into His glory?”^{(CV) 27} Then beginning with Moses^(CW) and all the Prophets,^(CX) He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.^(CY)

²⁸ They came near the village where they were going, and He gave the impression that He was going farther.^{(CZ) 29} But they urged Him: “Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.

³⁰ It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke^(DA) it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened,^(DB) and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight.^{(DC) 32} So they said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures^(DD) to us?” ³³ That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven^(DE) and those with them gathered together, ³⁴ who said,^[ab] “The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon!”^{(DF) 35} Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.^(DG)

The Reality of the Risen Jesus

³⁶ And^(DH) as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace^(DI) to you!” ³⁷ But they were startled and terrified^(DJ) and thought they were seeing a ghost.^{(DK) 38} “Why are you troubled?”^(DL) He asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself!^(DM) Touch Me and see,^(DN) because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” ⁴⁰ Having said this, He showed them His hands and feet. ⁴¹ But while they still were amazed and unbelieving because of their joy, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish,^{[ac] 43} and He took it and ate in their presence.

⁴⁴ Then He told them, “These are My words^(DO) that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets,^(DP) and the Psalms^(DQ) must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds^(DR) to understand^(DS) the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He also said to them, “This is what is written:^[ad] The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day,^{(DT) 47} and repentance for^[ae] forgiveness of sins^(DU) would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations,^(DV) beginning at Jerusalem.^{(DW) 48} You are witnesses^(DX) of these things. ⁴⁹ And look, I am sending you^[af] what My Father promised.^(DY) As for you, stay in the city^[ag] until you are empowered^[ah](DZ) from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

⁵⁰ Then He led them out as far as Bethany,^(EA) and lifting up His hands^(EB) He blessed them. ⁵¹ And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.^{(EC) 52} After worshiping Him,^(ED) they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.^{(EE) 53} And they were continually in the temple complex praising God.^[ai](EF)