Luke 23
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]
THIS IS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
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)
Footnotes
- Luke 23:3 Or That is true; an affirmative oath
- Luke 23:6 Other mss read heard “Galilee”
- Luke 23:8 Or sign
- Luke 23:12 Lit friends with one another
- Luke 23:16 Gk paideuo; to discipline or “teach a lesson”; 1Kg 12:11,14 LXX; 2Ch 10:11,14; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio
- Luke 23:17 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Luke 23:23 Other mss add and those of the chief priests
- Luke 23:30 Hs 10:8
- Luke 23:34 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Luke 23:38 Other mss add written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew letters
- Luke 23:39 Or began to blaspheme
- Luke 23:42 Other mss add Lord
- Luke 23:44 Lit about the sixth hour
- Luke 23:44 Or whole earth
- Luke 23:44 Lit the ninth hour
- Luke 23:45 Other mss read three, and the sun was darkened
- Luke 23:46 Ps 31:5
- Luke 23:48 = mourning
- Luke 23:53 Or interred, or laid
- Luke 23:54 Lit was dawning; not in the morning but at sundown Friday
Luke 23
The Message
Pilate
23 1-2 Then they all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.”
3 Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?”
“Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied.
4 Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, “I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.”
5 But they were vehement. “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”
6-7 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “So, he’s a Galilean?” Realizing that he properly came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days.
8-10 Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he’d heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular. He peppered him with questions. Jesus didn’t answer—not one word. But the high priests and religion scholars were right there, saying their piece, strident and shrill in their accusations.
11-12 Mightily offended, Herod turned on Jesus. His soldiers joined in, taunting and jeering. Then they dressed him up in an elaborate king costume and sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became thick as thieves. Always before they had kept their distance.
13-16 Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, “You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It’s clear that he’s done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”
18-20 At that, the crowd went wild: “Kill him! Give us Barabbas!” (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.
21 But they kept shouting back, “Crucify! Crucify him!”
22 He tried a third time. “But for what crime? I’ve found nothing in him deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”
23-25 But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.
Skull Hill
26-31 As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus. A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on. At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. The time is coming when they’ll say, ‘Lucky the women who never conceived! Lucky the wombs that never gave birth! Lucky the breasts that never gave milk!’ Then they’ll start calling to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!’ calling to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’ If people do these things to a live, green tree, can you imagine what they’ll do with deadwood?”
32 Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution.
33 When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left.
34-35 Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, “He saved others. Let’s see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!”
36-37 The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!”
38 Printed over him was a sign: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!”
40-41 But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”
43 He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
44-46 By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, “Father, I place my life in your hands!” Then he breathed his last.
* * *
47 When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: “This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!”
48-49 All who had come around as spectators to watch the show, when they saw what actually happened, were overcome with grief and headed home. Those who knew Jesus well, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a respectful distance and kept vigil.
50-54 There was a man by the name of Joseph, a member of the Jewish High Council, a man of good heart and good character. He had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village of Arimathea. He lived in alert expectation of the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Taking him down, he wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb chiseled into the rock, a tomb never yet used. It was the day before Sabbath, the Sabbath just about to begin.
55-56 The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. Then they went back to prepare burial spices and perfumes. They rested quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded.
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