Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

²⁸ After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^(A)

²⁹ When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” ³² So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.^{(B) 33} As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵ Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.^{(C) 37} Now as he was approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, ³⁸ saying,

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”^{(E) 40} He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”^(F)

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

⁴¹ As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it,^{(G) 42} saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ Indeed, the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you and hem you in on every side.^{(H) 44} They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”^[a](I)

Jesus Brought before Pilate

27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. ² They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.^(A)

The Suicide of Judas

³ When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus^[a] was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.^{(B) 4} He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent^[b] blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”^{(C) 5} Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.^{(D) 6} But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.” ⁷ After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. ⁸ For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.^{(E) 9} Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah,^[c] “And they took^[d] the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set,^[e] on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price,^{(F) 10} and they gave^[f] them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

Pilate Questions Jesus

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” ¹² But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer.^{(G) 13} Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?”^{(H) 14} But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.^(I)

Barabbas or Jesus?

¹⁵ Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they had a notorious prisoner called Jesus^[g] Barabbas. ¹⁷ So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus^[h] Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{[i] 18} For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. ¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.”^{(J) 20} Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.^{(K) 21} The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^[j] All of them said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ Then he asked, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Hands Jesus Over to Be Crucified

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood;^[k] see to it yourselves.”^{(L) 25} Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”^{(M) 26} So he released Barabbas for them, and after flogging Jesus he handed him over to be crucified.^(N)

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,^[l] and they gathered the whole cohort around him.^{(O) 28} They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and after twisting some thorns into a crown they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”^{(P) 30} They spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.^{(Q) 31} After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.^(R)

The Crucifixion of Jesus

³² As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.^{(S) 33} And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), ³⁴ they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.^{(T) 35} And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots;^{[m](U) 36} then they sat down there and kept watch over him.^{(V) 37} Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

³² Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.^{(A) 33} When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus^[a] there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[³⁴ Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]]^[b] And they cast lots to divide his clothing.^{(B) 35} And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah^[c] of God, his chosen one!”^{(C) 36} The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine^{(D) 37} and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him,^[d] “This is the King of the Jews.”

³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding^[e] him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah?^[f] Save yourself and us!”^{(E) 40} But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”^{(F) 42} Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in^[g] your kingdom.” ⁴³ He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”^(G)