Jesus Faces Pilate

15 As^(A) soon as it was morning, the chief priests had a meeting with the elders,^(B) scribes,^(C) and the whole Sanhedrin.^(D) After tying Jesus up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.^(E)

² So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King^(F) of the Jews?”^(G)

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

³ And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. ⁴ Then Pilate^(H) questioned Him again, “Are You not answering anything? Look how many things they are accusing You of!” ⁵ But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed.

Jesus or Barabbas

⁶ At^(I) the festival^(J) it was Pilate’s^(K) custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. ⁷ There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder^(L) during the rebellion.^{(M) 8} The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. ⁹ So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King^(N) of the Jews^(O) for you?” ¹⁰ For he knew it was because of envy^(P) that the chief priests had handed Him over. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

¹² Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?”

¹³ Again they shouted, “Crucify Him!”

¹⁴ Then Pilate said to them, “Why? What has He done wrong?”

But they shouted, “Crucify Him!” all the more.

¹⁵ Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged,^[b] he handed Him over to be crucified.

Mocked by the Military

¹⁶ Then^(Q) the soldiers led Him away into the courtyard (that is, headquarters^(R)) and called the whole company together. ¹⁷ They dressed Him in a purple^(S) robe, twisted together a crown^(T) of thorns, and put it on Him. ¹⁸ And they began to salute Him, “Hail,^(U) King^(V) of the Jews!” ¹⁹ They kept hitting Him on the head with a reed and spitting on Him. Getting down on their knees,^(W) they were paying Him homage. ²⁰ When they had mocked^(X) Him, they stripped Him of the purple robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.

Crucified between Two Criminals

²¹ They^(Y) forced a man coming in from the country, who was passing by, to carry Jesus’ cross.^(Z) He was Simon, a Cyrenian,^(AA) the father of Alexander and Rufus.^{(AB) 22} And^(AC) they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Skull Place^(AD)). ²³ They tried to give Him wine^(AE) mixed with myrrh,^(AF) but He did not take it. ²⁴ Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes, casting lots^(AG) for them to decide what each would get. ²⁵ Now it was nine in the morning^[c] when they crucified Him. ²⁶ The inscription of the charge written against Him was:

²⁷ They^(AJ) crucified two criminals^[d](AK) with Him, one on His right and one on His left. [²⁸ So the Scripture was fulfilled that says: And He was counted among outlaws.]^{[e](AL)[f] 29} Those^(AM) who passed by were yelling insults^(AN) at^[g] Him, shaking their heads,^(AO) and saying, “Ha! The One who would demolish the sanctuary and build it in three days,^{(AP) 30} save Yourself by coming down from the cross!”^{(AQ) 31} In the same way, the chief priests with the scribes^(AR) were mocking Him to one another and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself! ³² Let the Messiah,^(AS) the King^(AT) of Israel,^(AU) come down now from the cross,^(AV) so that we may see and believe.”^(AW) Even those who were crucified with Him were taunting Him.

The Death of Jesus

³³ When^(AX) it was noon,^[h] darkness came over the whole land^[i] until three in the afternoon.^{[j](AY) 34} And at three^[k] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá^[l] sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”^(AZ)[m]

³⁵ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” ³⁶ Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink,^(BA) and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”

³⁷ But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. ³⁸ Then the curtain^(BB) of the sanctuary^[n] was split in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He^[o] breathed His last, he said, “This man really was God’s Son!”^[p](BC)

⁴⁰ There^(BD) were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene,^(BE) Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹ When He was in Galilee,^(BF) they would follow Him and help Him. Many other women had come up with Him to Jerusalem.^(BG)

The Burial of Jesus

⁴² When^(BH) it was already evening, because it was preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking forward^(BI) to the kingdom of God,^(BJ) came and boldly went in to Pilate^(BK) and asked for Jesus’ body.^{(BL) 44} Pilate was surprised that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him whether He had already died. ⁴⁵ When he found out from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. ⁴⁶ After he bought some fine linen, he took Him down and wrapped Him in the linen. Then he placed Him in a tomb^(BM) cut out of the rock, and rolled a stone^(BN) against the entrance to the tomb. ⁴⁷ Now^(BO) Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where He was placed.