在彼拉多面前受审

23 于是他们全体民众就起来,把耶稣带到彼拉多面前, 开始控告耶稣,说:“我们发现这个人在败坏我们的同胞,阻止纳税给凯撒,还自称是基督、是王。”

彼拉多问耶稣:“你是犹太人的王吗?”

耶稣回答说:“是你说的。” 彼拉多对祭司长们和众人说:“我查不出这个人有什么罪。”

他们却更加坚持说:“他在犹太全地教导、煽动民众,从加利利开始,一直到这里。”

在希律前受审

彼拉多听了[a],就问:“这人是不是加利利人?” 当他了解耶稣属于希律管辖,就把他送到希律那里。在那些日子里,希律正好也在耶路撒冷 希律见到耶稣就极其欢喜,因为他听说过耶稣的事,早就想要见他,一直希望看他行个神迹。 于是他问了耶稣许多话,但是耶稣什么都不回答。 10 祭司长们和经文士们都站在那里,极力控告他。 11 希律和他的军兵就藐视耶稣,戏弄他,给他披上华丽的衣服,然后把他送回彼拉多那里。 12 在这一天,希律彼拉多竟互相成了朋友;原来他们两个人一向是彼此有仇的。

耶稣或巴拉巴

13 彼拉多召集了祭司长们、首领们和民众, 14 对他们说:“你们把这个人带到我这里来,说他是误导民众造反的。看,我已经当着你们的面审问了他,在他身上却一点也查不出你们所控告的罪。 15 其实希律也查不出来,所以把他送回给我们。看,他没有做过什么该死的事。 16 因此,惩罚了以后,我要释放他。” 17 每逢这节日,总督必须给他们释放一个囚犯。[b]

18 他们却一齐喊叫说:“除掉这个人!给我们释放巴拉巴!” 19 巴拉巴是因为在城里发生的一个暴乱和杀人案,被投进监狱的。

20 彼拉多想要释放耶稣,就再次向他们呼吁。 21 但他们却一直喊叫说:“钉上十字架!把他钉上十字架!”

22 彼拉多第三次对他们说:“这个人到底做了什么恶事呢?我查不出他有什么该死的罪。所以,惩罚了以后,我要释放他!”

23 他们催逼彼拉多,大声要求把耶稣钉上十字架,他们[c]的喊声终于[d]得胜了。 24 于是,彼拉多决定成全他们所求的, 25 释放了他们所要的那个因暴乱和杀人被投进监狱的人,却随他们的意思,把耶稣交出去。

十字架之路

26 他们把耶稣带走的时候,抓了一个从乡下来的古利奈西门,把十字架放在他身上,要他背着,跟在耶稣后面。 27 有一大群人跟着耶稣,其中有些妇女为他捶胸哀哭。 28 耶稣转过身来,对她们说:耶路撒冷的女儿啊,不要为我哭,而要为你们自己、为你们的儿女哭! 29 看,日子将要来到,那时人们会说:‘不能生育、没有怀过胎和没有乳养过婴儿的,是蒙福的!’ 30 那时人们将开始对山岭说:‘倒在我们身上吧!’对丘陵说:‘遮盖我们吧!’[e] 31 他们在树木青绿的时候尚且做这些事,那么在它枯萎的时候,还会发生什么呢?”

被钉在罪犯之间

32 另有两个囚犯也和耶稣一起被带去处死。 33 当他们来到一个地方,叫做“骷髅”,就在那里把耶稣钉上十字架,又钉了那两个囚犯,一个在右边,一个在左边。 34 那时,耶稣说:“父啊,赦免他们!因为他们不知道自己在做什么。”[f]士兵们[g]抽签分了他的衣服。

35 民众站着观看。首领们也讥笑,说:“他救了别人!如果这个人是神的基督,是蒙拣选的那一位,让他救自己吧!” 36 士兵们也上前来戏弄他,给他献上酸酒, 37 说:“你如果是犹太人的王,救救你自己吧!”

38 在耶稣的上方有一个牌子[h]:“这是犹太人的王。”

39 被悬挂的两个囚犯中,有一个辱骂他说:“你不是基督吗?救救你自己,也救救我们吧!”

40 另一个就应声斥责他,说:“你既然同样受惩罚,还不怕神吗? 41 我们受刑[i]理所应当,因为我们所受的与我们所做的相称。但这个人却没有做过什么坏事。” 42 他接着说:“耶稣啊,[j][k]你进了你国度的时候,求你记念我。”

43 耶稣[l]对他说:“我确实地告诉你:今天你要与我一起在乐园里了。”

耶稣之死

44 那时大约是中午十二点[m],黑暗笼罩了整个大地,一直到下午三点[n] 45 太阳失去了光[o],同时,圣所里的幔子裂成两半。 46 耶稣大声呼唤:“父啊,我把我的灵魂交托在你手中。”[p]说完这话,就断了气。

47 百夫长看见所发生的事,就不住地荣耀神,说:“这个人的确是义人。” 48 所有聚集见这场面的众人,看到所发生的事,都捶着胸回去了。 49 所有熟悉耶稣的人,包括那些从加利利一直跟着他来的妇女,都站在远处看这些事。

安葬

50 当时,有一个名叫约瑟的人,是犹太议会中的议员,为人公义良善。 51 这个人并没有赞同他们的计划和行为;他是犹太亚利马太城的人,一直期待着神的国。 52 他来到彼拉多面前,请求要耶稣的遗体。 53 他把遗体取下来,用细麻布裹好,安放在一座岩石凿成的墓穴里,那里从来没有安放过人。 54 那天是预备日,安息日快要到了[q] 55 那些从加利利陪耶稣一起来的妇女跟在后面。她们看到了那墓穴,也看到了耶稣的遗体怎样被安放, 56 就回去预备香料和香液。不过在安息日,她们还是按照诫命休息了。

Footnotes

  1. 路加福音 23:6 听了——有古抄本作“听到加利利”。
  2. 路加福音 23:17 有古抄本没有此节。
  3. 路加福音 23:23 有古抄本附“和祭司长们”。
  4. 路加福音 23:23 终于——辅助词语。
  5. 路加福音 23:30 《何西阿书》10:8。
  6. 路加福音 23:34 有古抄本没有“耶稣说:‘父啊,赦免他们!因为他们不知道自己在做什么。’”
  7. 路加福音 23:34 士兵们——原文直译“他们”。
  8. 路加福音 23:38 有古抄本附“用希腊文、拉丁文和希伯来文写道”。
  9. 路加福音 23:41 受刑——辅助词语。
  10. 路加福音 23:42 他接着说:“耶稣啊……”——或译作“他对耶稣说:‘……’”
  11. 路加福音 23:42 有古抄本附“主啊,”。
  12. 路加福音 23:43 耶稣——有古抄本作“他”。
  13. 路加福音 23:44 中午十二点——原文为“第六时刻”。
  14. 路加福音 23:44 下午三点——原文为“第九时刻”。
  15. 路加福音 23:45 失去了光——有古抄本作“变黑”。
  16. 路加福音 23:46 《诗篇》31:5。
  17. 路加福音 23:54 快要到了——原文直译“黎明的时候”。

Pilate asks Jesus questions

23 All the people at the meeting stood up to leave. They took Jesus to stand in front of Pilate.[a] Then they all started to tell Pilate that Jesus had done bad things. They said, ‘We found this man when he was telling our people wrong things. He said that we must not pay taxes to the Roman government. He also said that he himself is the Messiah, that is, a king.’

Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Jesus replied, ‘You have said it.’

Pilate then said to the leaders of the priests and to all the crowd of people, ‘I cannot find any reason to say that this man is guilty.’ But they continued to speak strongly to him. They said, ‘He makes the people angry and ready to fight against the government. He has taught these bad things everywhere in Judea. He started in Galilee and now he has come to Jerusalem.’

When Pilate heard this, he asked if Jesus came from Galilee. He discovered that he was from the country where Herod ruled. So Pilate sent Jesus to stand in front of Herod. Herod was also in Jerusalem at that time.[b]

Herod asks Jesus questions

Herod was very happy to see Jesus. He had heard about him and he had wanted to meet him for a long time. He wanted to see Jesus do something to show God's power. He asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not answer any of them. 10 The leaders of the priests and the teachers of God's Law stood there. They were shouting out that Jesus had done many bad things. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers started to laugh at Jesus. They were saying things to make him feel bad. They put a beautiful coat on him. Then they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That same day, Herod and Pilate became friends. Until then, they had not liked each other.

Pilate and the Jewish leaders argue about Jesus

13 Pilate then told the leaders of the priests, the leaders of the Jews and the people to come back to him. 14 He said to them, ‘You brought this man to me. You said that he was causing the people to fight against their rulers. Listen! I have asked him some questions in front of you. But I have not found that he has done anything wrong. 15 Herod also did not find that he had done anything wrong. That is why he has sent him back to me. You can see this. He has not done anything bad that means he ought to die. 16 So I will just punish him. I will command a soldier to hit him with whips. Then I will let him go.’

17 [Pilate usually let one person go free out of the prison at Passover time.][c]

18 But the crowd all shouted together, ‘Take this man away and kill him! We want Barabbas to go free.’

19 Barabbas had fought against the Roman rulers in Jerusalem. He had also killed somebody. That is why the rulers had put him in prison. 20 But Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go. So he spoke to the crowd again. 21 But they continued to shout. They were shouting, ‘Kill him on a cross, kill him on a cross.’[d]

22 Pilate asked them the same question for the third time. ‘Why should I kill him? What wrong things has he done? You want me to say that he should die. But I have not found anything wrong that would cause me to say that. So I will punish him. I will command my soldiers to hit him with a whip. Then I will let him go.’

23 But they continued to shout at Pilate, ‘Kill him on a cross.’ They continued to shout very much. So, in the end, 24 Pilate did what they wanted. 25 They had asked Pilate to let Barabbas go free out of the prison. He was the man that had caused the Jewish people to fight against the Roman rulers. He had also killed somebody. He was the man that Pilate let go free. As for Jesus, Pilate commanded the soldiers to take him away. He let the people do to him what they wanted.

They kill Jesus on a cross

26 So the soldiers took Jesus away, to go to the place where they would kill him. On the way, they took hold of a man called Simon. This man was from the town of Cyrene. He was coming in from outside the city. The soldiers took the cross that Jesus was carrying on his shoulders. They made Simon carry it instead as he walked behind Jesus.

27 A very large crowd of people were following Jesus. There were many women among them. They were crying with loud voices. They were weeping and crying because they were very sad. 28 So Jesus turned round and he said to them, ‘You women that live in Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and for your children. 29 Listen! Days will come when people will say, “It is better for those women that could not have babies. Those women that never had babies to feed are the happy ones!” 30 People will begin to say, “It would be better if we were dead.” They will ask the mountains to fall on top of them. They will ask the hills to cover them up. 31 There is much trouble and pain now. But much worse things will happen! Now the fire burns slowly. But soon it will be like a fire that quickly burns dry wood!’[e]

32 The soldiers also took two other men out of the prison. These men had done bad things. The soldiers would kill them and Jesus together. 33 They took them to the place that is called ‘The Skull’. There they fixed Jesus to a cross to die. They also fixed the two bad men to crosses. One of these men was on the right side of Jesus. The other was on his left side.

34 Jesus said, ‘Father, these people do not know what they are doing. So please forgive them.’

The soldiers then picked up Jesus' clothes for themselves. They played a game to decide who would receive each piece of his clothes. 35 The people stood there and they were watching. The Jewish leaders were laughing at Jesus. They said, ‘He saved other people, did he? Then he should save his own life! Then we will know that he is really the Messiah, the man that God has chosen.’

36 The soldiers also laughed at him. They came up to him and they offered him cheap wine to drink. 37 They said, ‘If you are really the King of the Jews, save your own life.’

38 There was also a notice fixed at the top of the cross. It said, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

39 One of the bad men on a cross at the side of Jesus started to insult him. He shouted, ‘You say that you are the Messiah, don't you? Then save your own life and save our lives too!’

40 But the bad man on the other cross told him that he should be quiet. He said, ‘You should be more afraid of God. We will die here, as well as him. 41 We two men have done very bad things. So it is right that we should die. But this man has not done anything wrong.’ 42 Then the man said to Jesus, ‘Remember me, Jesus, when you start to rule in your kingdom.’ 43 Jesus replied, ‘I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

Jesus dies

44 It was now about midday. The whole country became dark for three hours. 45 The sun did not give any light. Then the curtain inside the temple tore into two parts. 46 Then Jesus shouted loudly, ‘Father, I give my spirit to you.’ After he shouted this, he died.

47 There was a captain of the soldiers there. When he saw what had happened, he praised God. He said. ‘I am sure that this man had not done anything wrong.’

48 A very big crowd had come together to watch the men die. They saw what had happened. Then they began to go home. They were very sad, and they were hitting their own bodies with their hands. 49 The friends of Jesus were there. The women that had come with him from Galilee were also there. They were all standing a long way away. They also saw what happened to him.

Joseph buries Jesus

50 A man called Joseph was also there. He was one of a special group of important Jewish leaders.[f] He was a good man that wanted to do right things. 51 He was from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He had not agreed with the other leaders that Jesus should die. He was waiting for God to begin to rule his people in his kingdom.

52 So Joseph went to see Pilate. He asked Pilate for the dead body of Jesus. Pilate agreed to this. 53 Joseph then went to the place where Jesus died. He took the dead body down from the cross. He put a piece of linen cloth around the body. Then he put the body into a large hole in the rock. People had made that hole to put dead bodies in, but it was the first time that anyone had used it.[g]

54 This all happened on the day before the Jewish day of rest. It was nearly time for the Jewish day of rest to begin.[h]

Jesus becomes alive again

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the place where the hole in the rock was. They also saw Joseph put Jesus' body into the empty hole. 56 Then they returned to the house where they were staying in Jerusalem. They prepared spices and oil that had a beautiful smell. On the Jewish day of rest they obeyed God's Law and they did not work.

Footnotes

  1. 23:1 Pontius Pilate ruled over this part of the land that the Romans ruled. He ruled over Jerusalem.
  2. 23:7 Herod was a king and he ruled over the whole of Galilee. It was Herod that had killed John the Baptist.
  3. 23:17 Verse 17 is not in many copies of Luke.
  4. 23:21 Roman rulers fixed bad people to a big cross made from wood, to kill them.
  5. 23:31 Again, Jesus is telling the people that enemies will soon destroy Jerusalem. Jesus is like a tree that is alive. He has not done anything wrong. But still the Romans will kill him on a cross. The bad people in Jerusalem are like dry wood. They have done many wrong things. The Romans will do worse things to them.
  6. 23:50 This was the same group that asked Jesus questions. They had wanted Pilate to kill Jesus.
  7. 23:53 At that time, they put dead bodies in a hole in a rock. Then the family and friends closed the front with a big stone.
  8. 23:54 For the Jews, the end of a day was when the sun went down, at about six o'clock in the evening. Then the next day began.

23 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.(A) And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation.(B) He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar(C) and claims to be Messiah, a king.”(D)

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”(E)

But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee(F) and has come all the way here.”

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean.(G) When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,(H) who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him.(I) From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.(J) 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,(K) they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends(L)—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.(M) 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(N) and then release him.” [17] [a]

18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”(O) 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.”(P)

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.

The Crucifixion of Jesus(Q)

26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene,(R) who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.(S) 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed(T) for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.(U) 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’(V) 30 Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
    and to the hills, “Cover us!”’[b](W)

31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”(X)

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.(Y) 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father,(Z) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[c](AA) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(AB)

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.(AC) They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”(AD)

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him.(AE) They offered him wine vinegar(AF) 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,(AG) save yourself.”

38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.(AH)

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”(AI)

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.”(AJ)

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[d](AK)

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(AL)

The Death of Jesus(AM)

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,(AN) 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple(AO) was torn in two.(AP) 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice,(AQ) “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[e](AR) When he had said this, he breathed his last.(AS)

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God(AT) 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(AU) and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee,(AV) stood at a distance,(AW) watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus(AX)

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 himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.(AY) 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,(AZ) and the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee(BA) followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.(BB) But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.(BC)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 23:17 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Matt. 27:15 and Mark 15:6.
  2. Luke 23:30 Hosea 10:8
  3. Luke 23:34 Some early manuscripts do not have this sentence.
  4. Luke 23:42 Some manuscripts come with your kingly power
  5. Luke 23:46 Psalm 31:5